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US Judge Dismisses Antitrust Suit Against Google, but Consumers May Get Another Chance

By  |  August 12, 2024

A federal judge in California has dismissed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Google of unlawfully dominating web searches on smartphones. However, the ruling leaves the door open for consumers to revive their case, citing recent legal developments in Washington, D.C. that have highlighted Google’s potentially illegal monopoly over search engines.

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    Per Reuters, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin, presiding over the case in San Francisco, ruled on Friday that the consumers had not provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate harm resulting from Google’s market dominance. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2022, alleged that Google engaged in unlawful practices by conspiring with Apple to make Google the default search engine on the iPhone and other Apple devices.

    Judge Lin’s decision follows a previous dismissal of the case, where she criticized the plaintiffs for making “conclusory” and “speculative” claims without adequate factual backing. In her latest ruling, Lin again noted the lack of detailed allegations, stating that while the plaintiffs had expanded on their claims regarding potential harms to consumer choice, innovation and search quality, they still failed to present the necessary factual evidence.

    Related: Google Antitrust Ruling: A Cautionary Tale for Companies on Evidence Preservation

    However, according to Reuters, Judge Lin’s ruling offers a glimmer of hope for the plaintiffs. She pointed to a significant ruling made on August 6 by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C. In that case, after a lengthy non-jury trial, Mehta found that Google’s substantial payments to Apple and other technology companies to ensure its position as the default search engine constituted a violation of antitrust law.

    “Although these findings were made in another litigation involving different issues, they indicate that plaintiffs may be able to plausibly allege facts about consumer harm from the alleged anticompetitive effects of Google’s default agreements,” Lin wrote in her order.

    The D.C. court’s decision could potentially influence the outcome of the California case, should the plaintiffs choose to file an amended lawsuit. Lin’s acknowledgment of Mehta’s ruling suggests that the legal landscape regarding Google’s business practices is still evolving and that new evidence or arguments could alter the case’s trajectory.

    Source: Reuters