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Major Media Outlets Demand Transparency in Google Antitrust Trial

By  |  October 16, 2023

Major media outlets, including The Post, have made a strong demand for increased transparency in the ongoing Google antitrust trial. The trial, overseen by Judge Amit Mehta, has been described as “arguably the most important antitrust trial in decades, with far-reaching consequences for the future of the tech industry” by The New York Times in a motion filed on Monday.

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    The motion emphasizes that while the court has taken some steps to make the trial more open to the public, there are lingering concerns regarding the degree of public access to crucial exhibits. Even as the antitrust trial enters its sixth week, media outlets still do not have consistent and complete access to trial exhibits.

    Related: Google Accuses India’s Competition Commission of Protecting Amazon

    Antitrust advocates have expressed sharp criticism over the trial’s lack of transparency. This criticism stems from various issues, including the judge’s allowance of closed-door testimony by key witnesses from companies like Apple and the sealing of records related to the case.

    Google has defended these practices, arguing that secrecy is necessary to protect sensitive information about the company’s operations, including its online search business. At one point, Judge Mehta ordered trial exhibits to be removed from a publicly accessible website, although access was later reinstated. The ongoing debate over transparency in this landmark antitrust trial continues to be a topic of concern and discussion in the tech industry and the media.

    Source: NY Post