Will the corporation be able to buy off a high-profile case that is full of interesting details?
In an effort to avoid a jury trial in the case of monopolizing online advertising, Google made a decision that, according to the corporation, is the most logical: write a check to the US Department of Justice to settle claims for damages.
According to a court document filed last week in Virginia , Google offered the US Department of Justice an unspecified amount covering "the full monetary damages that the DOJ is seeking."
As such, Google said it had resolved the issue with the Justice Department's claims for damages, thus eliminating the reason for requesting a jury trial.
A Google spokesperson told The Register that the Justice Department artificially created the damages claim at the last minute in an attempt to secure a jury trial in a case that the department itself describes as "highly technical" and "beyond the everyday knowledge of most potential jurors."
"This is why the law requires a judicial review of the evidence in this case," Google notes.
Google continues to maintain its innocence in charges of abusing its monopoly position in the online advertising market, saying it is ready to defend its operations and strategies in court-just not in front of a jury.
The ad monopoly case-one of several antitrust cases against Google – was filed in early 2023, and within months the list of plaintiffs had grown to 17 states, not including the Justice Department itself. The original lawsuit accused Google of acquiring competitors, forcing publishers and advertisers to use only Google's tools, and manipulating ad space auctions to "eliminate or substantially reduce any threat to its dominance over digital advertising technologies," the Justice Department argued.
According to Google, the Justice Department initially claimed more than $100 million in damages for ads placed by "certain federal agencies." It's not clear how much Google offered the Justice Department, but the company claimed in court documents that the amount of damages received during the investigation was "significantly reduced compared to the original claim."
While Google doesn't explicitly claim a reduction in the amount in its documents, a company spokesperson said the Justice Department's claim was reduced to less than $1 million, less than what Google spent on hiring lawyers. The Justice Department will have a chance to comment on the situation on June 21 at the next hearing in the case. If Google's attempt to buy out is unsuccessful, the trial will begin in September.
This case is not the first time that Google has been accused of abusing its dominant position in the online advertising market. In 2017, Google was fined $ 2.72 billion for abusing its dominant market position to customize search results. In 2018, for 4.34 billion euros for using its control over the Android OS to strengthen the dominance of its search engine in the mobile advertising market. Another $ 1.7 billion for anti-competitive practices in online advertising in 2019. And finally, for 220 million euros for using their services to the detriment of competitors in 2021.
In 2024, a decision is expected on the investigation against Google, aimed at determining measures to combat the company's monopolistic practices. The lawsuit is of great importance for the entire IT industry and can set a precedent for other large platforms that have had a significant impact on the market. This case will also demonstrate the Government's ability to regulate competition in the information technology market.
In an effort to avoid a jury trial in the case of monopolizing online advertising, Google made a decision that, according to the corporation, is the most logical: write a check to the US Department of Justice to settle claims for damages.
According to a court document filed last week in Virginia , Google offered the US Department of Justice an unspecified amount covering "the full monetary damages that the DOJ is seeking."
As such, Google said it had resolved the issue with the Justice Department's claims for damages, thus eliminating the reason for requesting a jury trial.
A Google spokesperson told The Register that the Justice Department artificially created the damages claim at the last minute in an attempt to secure a jury trial in a case that the department itself describes as "highly technical" and "beyond the everyday knowledge of most potential jurors."
"This is why the law requires a judicial review of the evidence in this case," Google notes.
Google continues to maintain its innocence in charges of abusing its monopoly position in the online advertising market, saying it is ready to defend its operations and strategies in court-just not in front of a jury.
The ad monopoly case-one of several antitrust cases against Google – was filed in early 2023, and within months the list of plaintiffs had grown to 17 states, not including the Justice Department itself. The original lawsuit accused Google of acquiring competitors, forcing publishers and advertisers to use only Google's tools, and manipulating ad space auctions to "eliminate or substantially reduce any threat to its dominance over digital advertising technologies," the Justice Department argued.
According to Google, the Justice Department initially claimed more than $100 million in damages for ads placed by "certain federal agencies." It's not clear how much Google offered the Justice Department, but the company claimed in court documents that the amount of damages received during the investigation was "significantly reduced compared to the original claim."
While Google doesn't explicitly claim a reduction in the amount in its documents, a company spokesperson said the Justice Department's claim was reduced to less than $1 million, less than what Google spent on hiring lawyers. The Justice Department will have a chance to comment on the situation on June 21 at the next hearing in the case. If Google's attempt to buy out is unsuccessful, the trial will begin in September.
This case is not the first time that Google has been accused of abusing its dominant position in the online advertising market. In 2017, Google was fined $ 2.72 billion for abusing its dominant market position to customize search results. In 2018, for 4.34 billion euros for using its control over the Android OS to strengthen the dominance of its search engine in the mobile advertising market. Another $ 1.7 billion for anti-competitive practices in online advertising in 2019. And finally, for 220 million euros for using their services to the detriment of competitors in 2021.
In 2024, a decision is expected on the investigation against Google, aimed at determining measures to combat the company's monopolistic practices. The lawsuit is of great importance for the entire IT industry and can set a precedent for other large platforms that have had a significant impact on the market. This case will also demonstrate the Government's ability to regulate competition in the information technology market.
