WASHINGTON: The Justice Department and 38 states and territories detailed Tuesday how Google had systematically exercised its power in online search to deter competitors, as the Internet giant pushed back fiercely, opening the most consequential lawsuit over technological power in modern times. internet age.
In a packed courtroom at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, the Justice Department and the states painted a picture of how Google had used its deep pockets and dominant position by paying $10 billion a year to Apple and others to make it the default search engine. to be on smartphones – eliminating rivals and entrenching the search engine, the government said.
“This feedback loop, this wheel, has been turning for more than a dozen years,” said Kenneth Dintzer, the Justice Department’s chief courtroom attorney. “And it always works in Google’s favor.”
Google denied that it had illegally used agreements to exclude its search competitors and said it had simply provided a superior product, adding that people can easily switch which search engine they use. The company also said that Internet search extends broader than the general search engine and pointed to the many ways people now find information online, such as Amazon for shopping.
“Users today have more search options and more ways to access information online than ever before,” said John Schmidtlein, the attorney who opened for Google.
The back-and-forth took place in the federal government’s first monopoly lawsuit since it tried to break up Microsoft more than two decades ago. This case – US et al. v. Google – will have far-reaching consequences, not only for the internet giant, but also for other major technology companies.
The final ruling, by Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, could shift the balance of power in the tech industry. A government victory could set limits on Google and change its business practices, which could send a humbling message to the other tech giants. If Google wins, it could act as a referendum on increasingly aggressive government regulators, raise questions about the effectiveness of century-old antitrust laws and further embolden Silicon Valley.
The Justice Department filed the case in October 2020 accusing Google of illegally maintaining its dominance in search. Months later, a group of attorneys general from 35 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the District of Columbia filed their own lawsuit. Mehta is considering both lawsuits at trial.
In a packed courtroom at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, the Justice Department and the states painted a picture of how Google had used its deep pockets and dominant position by paying $10 billion a year to Apple and others to make it the default search engine. to be on smartphones – eliminating rivals and entrenching the search engine, the government said.
“This feedback loop, this wheel, has been turning for more than a dozen years,” said Kenneth Dintzer, the Justice Department’s chief courtroom attorney. “And it always works in Google’s favor.”
Google denied that it had illegally used agreements to exclude its search competitors and said it had simply provided a superior product, adding that people can easily switch which search engine they use. The company also said that Internet search extends broader than the general search engine and pointed to the many ways people now find information online, such as Amazon for shopping.
“Users today have more search options and more ways to access information online than ever before,” said John Schmidtlein, the attorney who opened for Google.
The back-and-forth took place in the federal government’s first monopoly lawsuit since it tried to break up Microsoft more than two decades ago. This case – US et al. v. Google – will have far-reaching consequences, not only for the internet giant, but also for other major technology companies.
The final ruling, by Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, could shift the balance of power in the tech industry. A government victory could set limits on Google and change its business practices, which could send a humbling message to the other tech giants. If Google wins, it could act as a referendum on increasingly aggressive government regulators, raise questions about the effectiveness of century-old antitrust laws and further embolden Silicon Valley.
The Justice Department filed the case in October 2020 accusing Google of illegally maintaining its dominance in search. Months later, a group of attorneys general from 35 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the District of Columbia filed their own lawsuit. Mehta is considering both lawsuits at trial.
ADVERTISEMENT
