Washington, D.C. — The American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement in response to a new suit from a bipartisan coalition of 37 state and territorial attorneys general that challenges Google’s abuse of its dominance over app distribution.

“In taking aim at Google’s abuse of its app store dominance, this bipartisan coalition of attorneys general is showing once again that Big Tech is not above the law,” said Pat Garofalo, Director of State and Local Policy at the American Economic Liberties Project. “Together with Apple, Google controls 100% of the market for smartphone operating systems. Google uses this control to become a gatekeeper over app distribution, forcing developers to agree to unfair and extortionary terms just to appear in the Google Play store. In fact, a hearing in April, app developers told the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee that they were ‘scared’ to speak out against Google because of how much power it had over them.”

“With this case, these developers, along with entrepreneurs and other businesses across the country, now have the opportunity to see some relief,” added Garofalo. “But more must be done. State legislatures across the country considering bills to protect small businesses, entrepreneurs, and consumers from the harmful gatekeeping powers of large app distributers like Apple and Google should quickly pass them. Congress should also move forward with its efforts to break up Big Tech.”

To learn more, read “States Are Right to Rebel Against Big Tech,” an op-ed from Garofalo in the New York Times. 

Learn more about Economic Liberties here.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.