Statement from Attorney General James on Court Victory Against Google for Maintaining Illegal Monopoly Over Search Engines

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found that Google has maintained an illegal monopoly of online search engines. Attorney General James co-led a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in suing Google, in conjunction with a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, over its monopolistic activities:

“This decision is a major victory in our efforts to ensure all companies, no matter how powerful or influential, are held accountable when they harm others. For too long, Google has used its power to limit consumer choice in search, paying billions to ensure its competitors had no path to succeed, and profiting enormously from its monopoly. As Attorney General, I will not allow any business or corporation to take advantage of New Yorkers and exploit their position to grow their influence.”

In 2020, Attorney General James co-led a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys general in suing Google for its illegal, anticompetitive conduct. The lawsuit alleged that Google entered into exclusionary contracts with other tech companies, like Apple and Samsung, to ensure that its search engine was the exclusive default on the vast majority of devices. Today’s decision found that Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, finding that Google maintained a monopoly power over general search services and general search text ads. The court also ruled that Google’s distribution agreements with other tech companies are exclusive and have anticompetitive effects.