Google Faces £13.6B UK Antitrust Class Action Suit

Search engine behemoth Google is facing a massive £13.6 billion antitrust lawsuit in the UK, which combines two large claims against Google into one large class action that could have lasting impact on the tech industry.

The case revolves around alleged actions taken by Google that would have harmed competition by favoring its own services, which has led to big financial losses for its competitors. The claimants argue that Google may have cost rivals up to 19% of their revenue since 2014.

Claimants who have brought these accusations against Google’s parent company Alphabet pointed out that Google’s actions in the ad tech market have been under scrutiny in many places. Google meanwhile has taken a firm stance and said it is prepared fight these claims.

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Without the court’s permission to combine these claims, a long process would have ensued to determine which one should go to trial. To make things simpler, the claimants formed the Ad Tech Collective Action.A three-day hearing will be held in January, where it will be determined whether the Ad Tech Collective Action can represent all affected publishers in the UK. If they get the green light, they’ll represent all publishers except those who choose otherwise.