Washington, D.C. — The American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had filed a Section 2 antitrust suit against Google focused on its control of distribution channels for search.

“This is a big deal. An antitrust case against Google is long overdue. But while this case is historic, it is narrow and represents only one of the many actions enforcers and policymakers need to take to protect innovation, smaller businesses, and consumers from Google’s monopoly power,” said Sarah Miller, Executive Director of the American Economic Liberties Project. “Google has nine products with more than a billion users, and it has market power in maps, online display advertising, and video, as well as general search, browsers, and niche but significant areas like access to airline ticketing information. Fortunately, efforts to address Google’s control over online commerce are growing.”

“This month, the House Antitrust Subcommittee released a scathing report on Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple’s monopoly abuse, which included a series of policy recommendations such as structural and line-of-business separations to break their power,” added Miller. “At the same time, state attorneys general across the country are conducting their own investigations into Google and likely to file antitrust cases focused on Google’s dominance in other markets.”

“We look forward to additional antitrust cases against Google and encourage federal policymakers and enforcers to pursue structural changes to the corporation,” added Miller.

Find more information on the harmful impact of Google’s monopoly and the policy solutions needed to address Google’s power here. 

###

Economic Liberties works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. AELP 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.