Google faces $2.27 billion lawsuit over advertising practices

Google is going through a $2.27 billion lawsuit by 32 media teams claiming that the corporate’s digital promoting practices have led to monetary losses.

The publishers, together with Axel Springer and Schibsted, are primarily based in varied nations throughout Europe, reminiscent of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Sweden.

What the lawsuit is saying. A press release issued by the media teams’ attorneys Geradin Companions and Stek stated:

• “The media firms concerned have incurred losses as a result of a much less aggressive market, which is a direct results of Google’s misconduct.”
• “With out Google’s abuse of its dominant place, the media firms would have acquired considerably larger revenues from promoting and paid decrease charges for advert tech providers. Crucially, these funds might have been reinvested into strengthening the European media panorama.”

What Google is saying. Google denies the allegations and has described them as “speculative and opportunistic” per Reuters. The corporate stated in an announcement:

• “Google works constructively with publishers throughout Europe. … (Our promoting instruments) adapt and evolve in partnership with those self same publishers.”

TIming. This lawsuit follows the French competitors authority imposing a $238 million advantageous on Google for its advert tech enterprise in 2021, in addition to the costs introduced by the European Fee final 12 months, each of that are referenced within the media teams’ declare.

Dutch court docket. The group selected to file the lawsuit in a Dutch court docket as a result of the nation is well-known for dealing with antitrust damages claims in Europe. This determination helps keep away from coping with a number of claims throughout completely different European nations.

Deep dive. Learn our antitrust trial updates article for data on Google’s authorized battles within the U.S., the place the tech large is being sued by the U.S. Justice Division.