The U.S. Justice Department and a coalition of states are set to take Google to trial on September 9, alleging that the tech giant has engaged in underhanded tactics to maintain its position as the world’s dominant search engine. The lawsuit claims that Google has paid substantial amounts of money to companies, such as Apple, to ensure that its search engine is the default option on products like the iPhone, contributing to its 90% market share in search. The lawsuit is seeking to force Google to sell its ad manager suite in order to level the playing field in the search engine market.
Google has vehemently denied these allegations, arguing that a favorable outcome for the lawsuit could result in stifled innovation, increased advertising fees, and heightened difficulties for small businesses and publishers to grow. The trial is set to be a landmark case with potential significant implications for Google’s future and the landscape of Search and the Internet as a whole.
Despite the importance of the case, Google has declined to comment on the jury trial date, while the Justice Department and various states sought a July trial date. However, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema reasoned that a summer trial would have presented logistical challenges, resulting in the September trial date.
This trial is not the only legal matter that Google is facing, as it is also scheduled to go to trial in March 2025 in a U.S. federal court in Texas for a similar lawsuit challenging its ad tech practices. Additionally, a third case involving lawsuits from the U.S. Justice Department, Colorado, and other states focusing on Google’s dominance in web search is anticipated to have closing arguments heard in May by a U.S. judge in Washington, D.C.
The outcome of these trials could have substantial implications for the future operations of Google and the search engine market as a whole, potentially instigating significant changes. However, it is also plausible that the trials may not result in any changes, allowing Google to continue operating without restrictions. For a comprehensive understanding of the Google’s antitrust trial, readers are encouraged to refer to the Google antitrust trial guide for a thorough breakdown of the case.
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