Google is facing a new class action lawsuit in the UK that accuses the search giant of abusing its market power and driving up search ad prices.
By the numbers:
- 5 billion ($6.6 billion U.S.): The potential damages Google faces.
- 90%: Google’s share of UK search advertising revenue, according to a 2020 CMA study.
- 13+ years: The period covered by the lawsuit (January 2011 to present).
The details. Competition law academic Or Brook filed the lawsuit today in the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, alleging Google has:
- Restricted competing search engines.
- Created a monopolistic position in search advertising.
- Forced businesses to use its ad services at inflated prices.
- Secured preferential placement through deals with device makers.
Why we care. This case represents one of the largest competition claims brought against Google in Europe and could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of UK businesses that have used Google’s search advertising since 2011. This lawsuit could…
