Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and his New York counterpart Letitia James have joined a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit challenging Google”™s (NASDAQ:GOOG) dominance of the online advertising industry.
According to the lawsuit filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia, Google is accused of impeding competition over the past 15 years by acquiring control over key ad-tech industry tools, including the largest advertising exchange where digital ads are bought and sold, and imposing restrictions designed to hinder its rivals”™ ability to compete.
The complaint alleges that Google”™s anti-competition strategy has stifled innovation in the digital advertising industry while raising costs and limiting consumer choice.
“Google has market power over the interlocking technologies that deliver online advertising. It has abused its dominance to manipulate advertisement auctions and exchange markets, to coerce advertisers into using its services, and to inflate its own profits at the expense of American businesses in violation of antitrust laws,” said Tong.
