An obvious lack of neutrality, coupled with election interference, has major league consequences, and it looks like at least one large technology company is learning that the very hard way.
As reported by The Hill, none other than Google has finally faced a long overdue, epic smackdown in the courts, especially with regards to its monopolistic behavior.
And, as declared by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, Google had indeed engaged in a number of very “anticompetitive acts” over the last several years.
“Plaintiffs have proven that Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising,” Brinkema declared.
Which is precisely what has enabled more than one Google executive to become absolutely filthy rich.
“For over a decade, Google has tied its publisher ad server and ad exchange together through contractual policies and technological integration, which enabled the company to establish and protect its monopoly power in these two markets,” Brinkema continued.
In other words, Google has seemingly violated the Sherman Act of 1910, or certainly the iterations that have unfolded since then, in its quest for absolute power and information dominance.
Importantly, however, the case against Google was not started by the Trump administration, as many critics may assume … the case actually began under the Biden administration.
In a separate report from Politico, it is rather clear that Google has clearly managed to become absurdly anticompetitive if it actually manages to capture negative attention from a party that it has helped win elections.
“The Department of Justice and 17 state attorneys general brought the case against Google in 2023, accusing the tech giant of leveraging its control of publishing tools and other crucial services to lock in an illegal monopoly in the almost $300 million U.S. market for digital ads,” Politico detailed.
So, in other words, even Biden couldn’t turn a blind eye anymore.
Especially as Google has now lost not one, but two, major antitrust rulings in the past year.
“The ruling represents Google’s second major antitrust loss in less than a year. In August, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta found it illegally monopolized the online search and advertising markets over the prior decade,”Politico added.
Naturally, Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president for regulatory affairs, has apparently decided to continue the tired game of denial, denial, denial.
“The Court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick, don’t harm competition. We disagree with the Court’s decision regarding our publisher tools. Publishers have many options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple, affordable and effective,” Mulholland declared.
Right.
Looks like an assistant attorney general feels otherwise.
Including Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater, who heads up the DOJ’s antitrust division.
“Two courts have now found that Google is a monopolist. Thank you, @POTUS Trump and @AGPamBondi for your unwavering leadership and commitment to the American people. And congrats to the @JusticeATR trial team who worked tirelessly on this tremendous victory for all Americans,” Slater tweeted.
Crisp and to the point.
Will Google cease its anticompetitive practices? That remains to be seen, but one would hope that two major antitrust losses would be a bigtime wakeup call for the company.
Author: Jane Jones
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