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Google Accuses US Government of Targeting Success in Antitrust Battle

By  |  February 26, 2024

In an ongoing legal showdown between Google and the U.S. Department of Justice, the tech giant has accused the government of seeking to penalize it for its market dominance and innovation. Google’s assertions came to light in an unsealed post-trial brief submitted to a federal judge in Washington, D.C., as part of the antitrust case levied against it by the DOJ.

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    Google vehemently defended its position as the preeminent search engine globally, attributing its success to relentless dedication and innovation. The company argued that any verdict against it in the antitrust trial would contravene established U.S. antitrust law. According to Google, the evidence presented during the trial irrefutably demonstrates its status as the highest-quality and most popular search engine in the United States, with superior advertising monetization. The company further contended that the DOJ’s motive is to artificially boost its competitors’ prospects at the expense of stifling innovation and harming consumers.

    Read more: Google’s US Ad Antitrust Suit Trial Date Set For March 2024

    Specifically addressing allegations regarding its management of Search Ads 360 (SA360), Google refuted claims of unfair practices, asserting that it is not obligated to engage with competitors like Microsoft on SA360 features. Google argued that its actions align with industry standards and that the Colorado Plaintiffs failed to substantiate any harm to competitors. The company emphasized that any punitive measures against its conduct would ultimately hinder competition by diminishing its incentives to enhance its cross-platform advertising tools in response to advertisers’ needs.

    Search Ads 360 (SA360) is a pivotal platform for managing extensive search marketing campaigns across various search engines. It streamlines ad and keyword management, facilitates performance analysis, and offers automated bidding through bid strategies.

    Contrary to Google’s defense, the DOJ has accused the tech giant of wielding its market dominance to stifle competition through lucrative contracts with phone manufacturers and web browser operators. These agreements purportedly aim to limit the presence of rival search engines such as Microsoft’s Bing. The DOJ is poised to present its own arguments in an upcoming brief.

    Source: Martech