Louisiana Is Suing Google
Louisiana is joining hands with several other states to fight an internet giant. Attorney General Jeff Landry – along with the United States Department of Justice and ten other state Attorneys General – filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to prevent Google from unlawfully maintaining monopolies through anticompetitive and exclusionary practices in the search and search advertising markets.
“Google has grown into a big tech monopoly that has stifled competition. Without competition, we do not have capitalism; and without capitalism, we do not have America. So I am proud to join Attorney General Bill Barr in this fight for America,” said AG Jeff Landry.
A news release from Landry's office says:
As one of the wealthiest companies on the planet with a market value of $1 trillion, Google is the monopoly gatekeeper to the internet for billions of users and countless advertisers worldwide. For years, Google has accounted for almost 90% of all search queries in the United States and has used anticompetitive tactics to maintain and extend its monopolies in search and search advertising.
The complaint alleges that Google has unlawfully maintained monopolies in search and search advertising by:
Entering into exclusivity agreements that forbid preinstallation of any competing search service.
Entering into tying and other arrangements that force preinstallation of its search applications in prime locations on mobile devices and make them undeletable, regardless of consumer preference.
Entering into long-term agreements with Apple that require Google to be the default – and de facto exclusive – general search engine on Apple’s popular Safari browser and other Apple search tools.
Generally using monopoly profits to buy preferential treatment for its search engine on devices, web browsers, and other search access points, creating a continuous and self-reinforcing cycle of monopolization.
The other states involved in the suit are Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina, and Texas.