US: Google sues Texas in antitrust probe

Google sued Texas’ attorney general on Thursday, October 31,  to ensure that its confidential business information will not be disclosed to rivals as he leads a multi-state probe into possible antitrust violations by the Internet search and advertising company.

In papers filed with a Travis County, Texas state court, Google and its parent, Alphabet, said Attorney General Ken Paxton’s hiring for the probe of three outside consultants, including two who have worked for rivals or Google critics, threatens to expose key elements of Google’s business practices, justifying appropriate safeguards.

“We’ve provided millions of pages of documents in response to regulatory inquiries, and we’re committed to cooperating,” said Julie Tarallo, a Google spokesman. “But this is an extraordinarily irregular arrangement and it’s only fair to have assurances that our confidential business information won’t be shared with competitors or vocal complainants.”

Google’s legal salvo comes almost two months after the attorneys general from 51 states, territories and the District of Columbia announced they would probe the company’s business practices for competition concerns. 

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