Google appeals ruling that labeled the company a search monopoly
Google is appealing a US court verdict that found it had an illegal monopoly in the search engine market.
“As we have long said, the court’s August 2024 ruling ignored the reality that people use Google because they want to, not because they’re forced to,” Lee-Anne Mulholland, vice president and global head of regulatory affairs at Google, said in a blog post.
“The decision failed to account for the rapid pace of innovation and intense competition we face from established players and well-funded start-ups. And it discounted compelling testimony from browser makers like Apple and Mozilla, who said they choose to feature Google because it provides the highest quality search experience for their consumers,” she continued.
While Google’s appeal is still pending, Mulholland is asking the court to temporarily suspend all measures that would force Google to share search data and provide syndication services to rivals.
“These mandates would risk Americans’ privacy and discourage competitors from building their own products, ultimately stifling the innovation that keeps the US at the forefront of global technology,” Mulholland concludes.
The lawsuit against Google’s search engine monopoly has been going on for years.
The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the Mountain View-based tech company in 2020, arguing that Google had unlawfully used distribution agreements with parties like web browser developers, smartphone manufacturers, and telecom providers to thwart competition and maintain its monopoly in the search engine and online advertising market.
After years of deliberating, US Federal District Judge Amit Mehta concluded that Google was guilty of creating an illegal monopoly in the search engine market and acted as a monopolist to maintain its dominance.
The Department of Justice called the verdict a historic win for the American people.
“No company, no matter how large or influential, is above the law. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce our antitrust laws,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement at the time.
The case will resume later this year, but is likely to drag on for several more years.
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