US Judge Allows Consumer Antitrust Case Against Google to Move Forward

U.S. District Judge Rita Lin ruled on Wednesday that the plaintiffs in the proposed class action presented enough evidence, at least at this stage, to continue pursuing their core claims under federal antitrust law. The case centers on whether Google, a unit of Alphabet, unlawfully preserved its market power through deals with major technology companies, per Reuters.

The lawsuit, filed last year, challenges Google’s agreements with mobile phone manufacturers, browser developers, and wireless carriers. The plaintiffs argue that these contracts made Google the default search engine across a wide range of devices and apps, effectively blocking rival search providers from reaching users. The allegations closely track those raised in a U.S. Justice Department case that resulted in a 2024 ruling finding that Google held an illegal monopoly in online search, according to Reuters.

Judge Lin did, however, grant Google a partial victory. She ruled that the consumers cannot pursue claims based on conduct that occurred before 2017. Still, she left open the possibility that the plaintiffs could attempt to reassert those earlier claims at a later stage.

Google had sought to have the case thrown out and has denied any wrongdoing. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling, and the attorneys representing the consumers also declined to comment, according to Reuters.

Related: Google Asks Judge to Pause Data-Sharing Order While Appealing Antitrust Ruling

The plaintiffs contend that Google’s payments to companies such as Apple, major Android device makers, and browser developers ensured that its search engine was preselected, giving it an overwhelming advantage. They say this strategy prevented competitors from gaining a foothold, reducing consumer choice and eliminating alternatives that might have offered fewer advertisements, stronger privacy protections, or even financial incentives for users, per Reuters.

Google has countered that it is unrealistic to expect rival search engines to offer payments to users or significantly better privacy safeguards. But Judge Lin found that the complaint pointed to examples of smaller search services that had offered rewards or ad-free options. She said the plaintiffs plausibly argued that these companies failed to grow because Google’s agreements blocked them from reaching the scale needed to compete, according to Reuters.

The case is titled James Attridge et al. v. Google and is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Source: Reuters