Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a legal win against Google after the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that the tech giant has been maintaining illegal monopolies in the digital advertising technology sector. The court decision, which affects website publishers, advertisers, and consumers, marks a significant step in a lawsuit joined by a bipartisan coalition of 17 attorneys general and the Department of Justice.
Attorney General Ellison said, “One of the major drivers of the high cost of living and one of the major drags on economic growth is monopolistic behavior by corporations. I’m very pleased that today, the court agreed with our case that Google has hurt consumers, advertisers, and publishers by monopolizing digital advertising technology. Fighting for a fair economy for consumers and businesses both by fighting monopolistic behavior has been — and will continue to be — one of my top priorities at Attorney General.”
The court, led by Judge Leonie Brinkema, found Google guilty of violating antitrust laws through its control over publisher ad servers and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising. It was determined that Google unlawfully linked its products and imposed anticompetitive practices that harmed competition and increased costs.
A second phase of the trial is planned to determine possible penalties for Google's actions.
The lawsuit is spearheaded by the attorneys general of New York, California, and Virginia, along with the Department of Justice. The coalition also includes attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington, and West Virginia.
Ellison encourages those in Minnesota with antitrust concerns to report online or contact the Attorney General's Office directly.