Several independent advertisers on Monday, June 22, filed a class action accusing Google of creating a monopoly in digital advertising and suing the tech company for antitrust violations under the Sherman Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law.
Plaintiffs Michael Devaney, Nicholas Arrieta, and Sara Yberra, acting on behalf of themselves and others, accuse Google and Alphabet of creating an illegal monopoly by eliminating competition in the display advertising ad-tech stack through acquisition of competitors, exclusivity provisions, interoperability and compatibility design choices, and development of its analytics services.
The plaintiffs — who bought digital ads through Google for their businesses, which include a photography business, a moving business, and an online store for bicycling hardware — separately purchased digital ads from Google. They claim to have overpaid for the ads and suffered financial loss, and that Google “wrongfully acquired and unlawfully maintained monopoly power in the relevant markets.”
From the purchase of the DoubleClick ad server to AdMob, which serves ads in apps, to the AdMeld supply-side platform, Google has developed or bought its way into the advertising business to capitalize on consumer searches and advertisements served on publisher sites.
“With its ability to track millions of users across millions of sites and apps, other publishers cannot compete with Google’s informational advantage,” according to Law Street Media, and the court document filed on Monday.
Full Content: Law Street Media
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
T-Mobile’s Acquisition of Ka’ena Corporation Receives FCC Approval
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
UK Regulator Announces Two New Senior Executive Appointments
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
Paramount Global and Skydance Media Near Merger Deal, Eyeing CEO Change
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
BHP Unveils £31bn Mining Megamerger Proposal with Anglo American
Apr 25, 2024 by
nhoch@pymnts.com
ByteDance Prefers Shutdown Over Sale of TikTok Amid US Ban Threats
Apr 25, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI