Google Violated Antitrust Law, Federal Judge Rules
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Google acted as a monopoly to illegally suppress competition among search engines, a federal judge ruled Monday in a landmark antitrust case.
The Details: The ruling by U.S. District judge Ahmit P. Mehta concludes a case initiated by the Department of Justice and several state governments in 2020 and pursued by the administrations of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Softening the blow for Google, Mehta did not find the company has a monopoly on search-based advertising.
Key Quote: “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” wrote Mehta in his ruling.
How the Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum emphasized the significance of the case and spared little sympathy for Google. New York Post (Lean Right bias) and New York Times (Lean Left) used Mehta’s blunt-sounding “Google is a monopolist” quote in their headlines. CNN (Lean Left) and Daily Caller (Right) called the case “massive” in their headlines.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Google Takes Massive Hit As Federal Judge Rules It Violated US Antitrust LawGoogle took a massive hit Monday after a federal judge ruled the company violated U.S. antitrust law through its search business, according to a court filing.
U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta submitted the ruling, rebuking one of Google’s oldest businesses that the company has spent billions on through exclusive contracts in order to obtain a dominant position within the tech industry, according to CNN. Mehta stated Google not only acted as a “monopolist,” but abused a “monopoly” through their search business to be the automatic search engine for browsers such as Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s...
From the Center
Google has an illegal monopoly on search, US judge findsWASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled on Monday that Google violated antitrust law, spending billions of dollars to create an illegal monopoly and become the world's default search engine, the first big win for federal authorities taking on Big Tech's market dominance.
The ruling paves the way for a second trial to determine potential fixes, possibly including a breakup of Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL.O), opens new tab, which would change the landscape of the online advertising world that Google has dominated for years.
From the Left
DOJ, states win Google search antitrust caseThe Justice Department and several dozen state attorneys general won a sweeping victory against Google Monday as a federal judge ruled that the search giant illegally monopolized the online search and advertising markets over the past decade.
In a 286-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C., ruled that Google locked up some 90 percent of the internet search market through a partnership with Apple to be the default search provider in its Safari web browser, alongside similar agreements with handset makers and mobile carriers such Samsung and Verizon....
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