Press Release

Assessing the Antitrust Case Against Google

Today the Department of Justice (DoJ) and 11 Republican state attorneys general filed an antitrust case against Google alleging that it has violated antitrust law to maintain dominance in online search and advertising. One key debate in this case will likely be over market definition, writes AAF’s Director of Technology and Innovation Policy Jennifer Huddleston. Further, this lawsuit is likely to have implications for other tech companies, both large and small, and it could hurt both innovation and consumer choice, she notes.

An excerpt:

The DoJ decision to file an antitrust case against Google is just the latest in continuing debates regarding antitrust and Big Tech. It signals that such debates are likely to continue for some time. As the case continues, the decisions around market definition and consumer harm will likely impact not only the outcome of the DoJ case against Google, but also the debate about other companies and the use of antitrust more generally. Courts, policymakers, and enforcers’ decisions regarding antitrust must not be based on a presumption that big is bad or that antitrust is a tool to go after an unpopular industry, but rather a principled approach that focuses on objective standards and seeks to maintain a free and competitive market to the benefit of consumers.

Read the analysis.

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