The Department of Justice Versus Google: An Antitrust Lawsuit for the Ages

This past Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), along with 11 states attorneys, filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google. This marked the first anti-trust lawsuit since 1998 when the government accused Microsoft of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.

The DOJ believes that Google abuses their market power and resources to restrain and limit their competition. Although monopolies are not illegal in the United States, it is illegal to use market superiority to stifle rival companies. The DOJ claims that Google illegally uses contracts with companies such as Apple and even their very own Androids, plus many other contracts, to ensure that Google is the default search engine on all cellular devices. The DOJ also maintains that Google uses exclusive billion dollar deals to dominate web searching.

Google responded last week by calling the government’s case “deeply flawed” because it serves to hinder, rather than benefit consumers. Google concludes that altering current algorithms and methods would produce lower-quality search options.

The company then went on to say that “people use Google because they choose to, not because they’re forced to, or because they cant find alternatives and raise phone prices,” (Google Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker).