Google CEO Sundar Pichai. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) Google’s (GOOG, GOOGL) app store, Google Play, became the latest target of Big Tech antitrust regulators Wednesday in a federal lawsuit filed by dozens of attorneys general led by the state of Utah. The case, brought in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, is one of dozens of lawsuits that Google’s parent company Alphabet is facing in a wave of actions around the globe challenging tiers of its dominant markets. In… Source link
Read More »Google faces new antitrust lawsuit over Google Play Store fees
On Wednesday, a coalition of state attorneys general launched a new antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing the search giant of abusing its control of the Android app store, as reported by Bloomberg. The lawsuit, filed by 36 states and Washington, DC, in California federal court, challenges Google’s policy forcing Google Play app developers to pay a 30 percent commission fee on sales made through the app. Google recently expanded the fees to cover more digital goods purchased on the… Source link
Read More »36 states, D.C. sue Google for alleged antitrust violations in its Android app store
In addition to Wednesday’s suit, Google also faces a suit that the Justice Department and 14 states filed in October, focused on Google’s efforts to dominate the mobile search market; one from 38 states and territories filed in December, also focused on search; and a third suit by 15 states and territories related to Google’s power over the advertising technology. The new case: Wednesday’s suit is the latest challenge to the search giant’s plan to force all app developers who use its… Source link
Read More »Washington’s antitrust push could limit Amazon, Google health ambitions
WASHINGTON — Washington is abuzz with an ambitious new antitrust effort to rein in the power of tech industry power players like Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook — and the effort could limit their ascent in the health care industry. Tech companies are already major players in the health care space — think Amazon’s decision to launch its own pharmacy, or Google’s acquisition of Fitbit — and they have their sights set even bigger. If major antitrust reform passes, it could… Source link
Read More »FTC’s antitrust case against Facebook falters but doesn’t quite fall in federal court
An antitrust suit against Facebook by the FTC and several states had the wind taken out of its sails today by a federal judge, who ruled that the plaintiffs don’t provide enough evidence that the company exerts monopoly control over social media. The court was more receptive, however, to revisiting the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, and the case was left open for regulators to take another shot at it. The court decision was in response to a Facebook motion to dismiss the suit. Judge… Source link
Read More »Facebook wins dismissal of FTC’s antitrust case, for now
A judge on Monday dismissed the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) antitrust lawsuit against Facebook and a separate antitrust lawsuit brought by dozens of attorneys general. Both suits alleged the social media giant is violating antitrust law by buying up competitors and depriving consumers of alternatives that would better protect their privacy. Facebook’s (FB) stock price was higher in late-afternoon trading, pushing the company’s market valuation past $1 trillion for the first time. The FTC… Source link
Read More »Google, Facebook Pressure Falls Short as Major Antitrust Measures Advance in House Committee
WASHINGTON—A House committee approved far-reaching legislation to curb the market dominance of tech giants, including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc., but much of the effort faced intensive lobbying by affected firms that slowed the committee’s work and foreshadowed a pitched battle in the Senate. In a package of six bills, the most significant measure to pass by late Wednesday requires that the largest internet platforms make it easier for users to transport their data to… Source link
Read More »Google likely to face antitrust claims over Play store from US states: Sources
A group of state attorneys general may file a lawsuit against Alphabet Inc‘s Google as early as next week, accusing the search and advertising giant of violating antitrust law in running its mobile app store, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The anticipated lawsuit follows complaints from app developers about Google’s management of its Play Store for Android devices, according to one source. The lawsuit has been in the works since last year and has… Source link
Read More »Google likely to soon face antitrust claims over Play store from U.S. states – sources
WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) – A group of state attorneys general may file a lawsuit against Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google as early as next week, accusing the search and advertising giant of violating antitrust law in running its mobile app store, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The anticipated lawsuit follows complaints from app developers about Google’s management of its Play Store for Android devices, according to one source. The lawsuit has been in the works since… Source link
Read More »Tech industry urges Congress to slow down new antitrust bills
Tech giants that could be broken up under a series of new antitrust bills are speaking out against the measures as lawmakers are set to debate them on Wednesday. Amazon and Google released statements on Tuesday opposing the bills. Apple and Facebook, which were also targets of the House Judiciary Committee’s investigation into digital markets, have yet to put out their own statements. But industry groups backed by the tech firms have also pushed back on the legislation, arguing it would… Source link
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