NH, coalition win antitrust case against Google – eagletimes.com

Eagle Times Employees

CONCORD, NH — Attorney General John M. Formella announced that the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, along with a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice, has won a landmark victory in the search engine antitrust case against Google. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found that Google engaged in monopolistic practices in the market for general search services and general search text advertising in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act.

“This ruling is a major victory for fair competition and consumer protection. The court’s finding that Google operated as a monopoly in the market for general search services and general search text ads underscores the importance of enforcing antitrust laws to maintain a competitive marketplace,” said Attorney General Formella. “We are currently reviewing the detailed decision of the court and preparing for the upcoming remedial phase of this case. The ruling supports our allegations that Google’s market dominance and anticompetitive practices stifled competition and harmed businesses and consumers alike in New Hampshire and across the country by inflating prices and limiting choice in the marketplace.”

The court’s sweeping 286-page ruling contains three key findings. It found that Google has a monopoly on the market for general search services and general text search ads. The court found that Google’s distribution agreements were exclusive and harmful to competition, particularly through agreements with large technology and mobile companies. Google’s monopolistic practices allowed it to charge excessively high prices for text search ads, resulting in significant monopoly profits.

The ruling follows a 10-week trial and underscores the need for effective remedies to address the competitive harm identified. A separate proceeding will now focus on how to redress the market imbalance caused by Google’s actions.

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, along with other participating state attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice, will work collaboratively to promote solutions that resolve past complaints and protect consumers by preventing future anticompetitive conduct. These efforts will pay particular attention to emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to ensure that the final solution effectively restores competition and protects consumer interests.