A U.S. district court has ruled in favor of plaintiffs, including Indiana, 51 other states and territories, and the U.S. Department of Justice, in a case against Google over monopolistic practices related to its search function and search text advertising.
“Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” stated the court.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita played a significant role in coordinating efforts with the U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division in this litigation.
“From day one, I have made clear that my office would not tolerate Big Tech riding roughshod over the rights and interests of everyday Hoosiers,” said Attorney General Rokita. “Once again, we are making good on this commitment. We are holding Google accountable for its illegal and unacceptable practices.”
The court found that Google used exclusive distribution agreements to limit competition for online search services, which deprived users of innovative alternatives and allowed Google to charge higher prices for general search text ads used by many businesses.
Under Attorney General Rokita’s leadership, Indiana was among the 11 plaintiff states joining the federal government’s initial monopolization case against Google. The state continued its litigation efforts from start to finish for consumer benefit.
“These companies are not permitted to preserve their market dominance through exclusionary tactics,” Attorney General Rokita stated. “Rather, they must compete in the free market to maintain the favor of their customers.”
The court decision is attached. A headshot of Attorney General Rokita is available online.