Justice Department Prepares to Launch Antitrust Investigation into Google

According to recent reports, the U.S. Justice Department is preparing to launch an antitrust investigation into Alphabet Inc.’s Google.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. Justice Department is preparing to begin an antitrust investigation into Google that could see the tech giant come under a new wave of scrutiny from regulators. According to people familiar with the matter, the antitrust division of the Justice Department has been gathering information and preparing for the investigation for weeks.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which shares antitrust authority with the Justice Department, has previously conducted antitrust investigations into Google on a broader scale but closed the investigation in 2013 with no action taken. Google did, however, make some voluntary changes to some of its business practices as a result of the investigation.

The FTC and Justice Department have been discussing which group will oversee further antitrust investigations of Google, with the FTC agreeing to give the Justice Department full jurisdiction over Google. Now that an understanding has been reached between the two government bodies, the Justice Department is preparing to conduct an in-depth investigation into Google. It has yet to be revealed if the Justice Department has contacted Google in relation to the investigation.

Move to oust Nancy Guthrie sheriff fails as Pima County supervisors refer perjury allegations to AG

High school student with history of anger issues charged with murder of homeless woman in Las Vegas

Nebraska’s Pillen wins Republican renomination in bid for second term as governor

Lawsuit: ChatGPT Told Florida State Shooter that Killing Children Would Get Him ‘More Attention’ Than Targeting Adults

House GOP launches new task force, probes alleged Medicaid fraud in Ohio

Poll: Rubio Opens Up Double-Digit Lead on Vance, AOC Leads 2028 Democratic Field

Judge keeps block on Trump administration effort to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia

Canadian Liberal Who Championed Mass Migration Questions Election Results After Losing Race to Immigrant

Democrat lawmaker calls Clarence Thomas an ‘Uncle Tom’ and ‘lynchman’ after Supreme Court redistricting ruling

GOP heartburn forces messaging pivot from ‘ballroom’ for Trump security money

Awkward moment kicks off interview with ex-Biden adviser, drawing derision for Dem California gov candidate

‘Beyond Devastated’: NBA Veteran Dies at Age 29

Illegal alien ‘monster’ charged with raping dead girlfriend’s daughter, DHS blames Biden-era policies

Disturbing new details revealed in death of Denver airport intruder who died after breaching fence

Schumer backs GOP’s plan to bring the pain during future shutdowns: ‘I’m going to vote for it’

Those familiar with the matter stated that the Justice Department has been in contact with third-party groups that have been critical of Google in the past. The Wall Street Journal reached out to the Justice Department and Google for comment on the matter but did not receive a reply. The FTC declined to comment on the issue.

Breitbart News reported in March of this year that Silicon Valley giant Google has been fined $1.7 billion by the European Union for the company’s third breach of E.U. antitrust laws in three years. The latest fine against the company relates to Google’s AdSense advertising service and “illegal practices in search advertising brokering to cement its dominant market position,” according to European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.

Vestager and her team concluded that third-party websites that sued Google to power their search and advertising features had “restrictive clauses in contracts” preventing them from hosting ads from rival search engines. In a press release, Vestager stated:

Today the Commission has fined Google €1.49 billion for illegal misuse of its dominant position in the market for the brokering of online search adverts. Google has cemented its dominance in online search adverts and shielded itself from competitive pressure by imposing anti-competitive contractual restrictions on third-party websites. This is illegal under EU antitrust rules. The misconduct lasted over 10 years and denied other companies the possibility to compete on the merits and to innovate – and consumers the benefits of competition.