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.

Auto Journalist Swarmed by Cops After Flock Cameras Mistakenly Flag Car Theft: We ‘Live in a Surveillance State’

Dem Rep Tried to Bait Israeli Authorities Into Confrontation with Him – Israeli Ambassador Has One Big Question

Driver accused of DUI survives astonishing 600-foot plunge down California cliff

Obama-appointed judge torches Trump admin in latest courtroom showdown, refers attorney for Bar review

Menlo College student accused of raping 12-year-old as prosecutors probe second victim

Family shattered after 3-time deported illegal immigrant allegedly blew through stop sign, roiling House race

Judge bars Trump from using IRS immunity deal to evade investigation over past tax filings

Breaking: Trump Reinstates Naval Blockade on Iran in Strait of Hormuz as Attacks Ramp Up

USMC flags candidate in Hegseth’s district as ‘incongruent with Marine Corps standards’

Trump makes surprise pick to fill Graham’s Senate seat

Mick Jagger Says Musicians and Athletes Should Entertain Fans, Not ‘Lecture’ Them About Politics

WV town’s police department thrown into chaos by evidence room fiasco, but officials say no one was fired

Lindsey Graham left behind modest wealth despite decades in Washington’s elite circles

Charlie Kirk’s close friend calls for death penalty for convicted assassins

Sick Man-Child: Tim Walz Bringing National Guard Back from DC After Rubio Deports Child Rapist Walz Pardoned

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.