In a significant antitrust ruling, Judge Amit P. Mehta granted partial motions for summary judgment in the case between Google and the U.S. Department of Justice, dismissing some claims while allowing the core allegation of monopoly maintenance to proceed.
"We appreciate the court’s careful consideration and decision to dismiss claims regarding the design of Google Search," Google President of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker said in an Aug. 4 news release. "Our engineers build Search to provide the best results and help you quickly find what you’re looking for."
A major development occurred Aug. 4 in the antitrust case between Google and the DOJ, alongside 38 states and territories. Mehta granted partial motions for summary judgment filed by Google, resulting in the dismissal of certain claims, according to court documents. However, the core allegation of unlawful monopoly maintenance was allowed to proceed.
The case revolves around the accusations made by the DOJ and the coalition of 38 states, led by Colorado, which claim Google has unlawfully maintained its monopoly power in various markets through a web of exclusive contracts with distributors. These agreements ensure Google becomes the default search engine on various products, and in return, Google shares a portion of the advertising revenue generated by searches conducted on its platform, court documents reported.
At the heart of the matter is the assertion that Google's anticompetitive practices allowed it to control the markets for general search services, search advertising and general search text advertising in the U.S. for more than a decade, court documents noted. By controlling these critical markets, Google has allegedly stifled competition and limited consumer choices, resulting in harm to both competitors and consumers alike.
However, despite some claims being dismissed, the judge's decision to allow the core allegation of monopoly maintenance to proceed represents a significant setback for Google, according to court documents. The case will now advance to trial, where both parties will present their evidence and arguments in front of a court. The trial is scheduled for September
"People have more ways than ever to access information, and they choose to use Google because it’s helpful," Kent added, according to the release. "We look forward to showing at trial that promoting and distributing our services is both legal and pro-competitive.”
