In the ongoing legal battle between Google and U.S. antitrust enforcers, a federal judge has ruled that the tech giant must face trial over allegations of illegally dominating the online advertising technology market.
The decision, made by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, comes as a blow to Google, which had sought to end the case without going to trial.
Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., had argued that antitrust laws do not prohibit companies from refusing to deal with competitors and that regulators had failed to define the ad tech market properly.
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- Google ordered to face trial in US antitrust case over digital advertising dominance.
- The federal judge denied Google’s motion to dismiss, citing a factual dispute.
- The trial is set for September 9, potentially reshaping the digital advertising landscape.
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Google’s Bid to Dismiss U.S. Antitrust Case Over Digital Advertising Denied
However, Judge Brinkema denied Google’s motion during a Friday hearing, indicating that factual disputes warrant a trial.
The Justice Department and a coalition of states filed a lawsuit against Google last year, accusing the company of unlawfully monopolizing the digital advertising market and overcharging users.
The primary goal of the lawsuit is to break up Google’s digital advertising business, allowing for increased competition in the industry.
While the specific reasons for Judge Brinkema’s decision were not detailed in court papers, motions like the one filed by Google are typically only granted when a judge determines that no factual disputes require a trial to resolve.
The trial is scheduled to begin on September 9, with Judge Brinkema presiding over the proceedings.
In response to the ruling, a spokesperson for Google stated, “We look forward to setting the record straight.” The Justice Department, on the other hand, declined to comment on the matter.
Despite the setback, Google did secure a minor victory last week when Judge Brinkema allowed the trial to proceed without a jury.
This followed the company’s settlement of claims that its conduct had harmed the U.S. government.
Additionally, the judge blocked a former FBI agent who had acted as a cybersecurity consultant for Google from testifying as an expert witness at the trial.
As the case moves forward, the outcome of this antitrust lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for the digital advertising industry, as well as the way tech giants like Google operate.
The trial is expected to shed light on the company’s alleged anticompetitive practices and their impact on the market and consumers.
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