The search giant is already facing a federal judge’s ruling that it violated antitrust laws. The Justice Department and Google are scheduled to appear in court today to discuss the next steps for resolving the company’s monopoly.
Some of the proposed resolutions are extreme — like breaking it up — but it’s not Google’s only problem.
The ruling opens up Google to lawsuits alleging that it artificially raised ad prices for years, writes Business Insider’s Hugh Langley. Yelp has already filed one about search referencing, and advertisers could be next.
Ultimately, Google could face a lawsuit seeking more than $100 billion in damages, according to one analyst.
The rationale for the suit goes as follows. A judge ruled that Google suppressed competition in the search market. That meant Google was the only game in town, enabling it to raise its ad prices knowing customers had no other option but to pay up.
But a 12-figure suit isn’t just terrifying for Google. Apple, Meta, and Amazon are also dealing with antitrust suits. The judge’s ruling was bad enough for Google’s Big Tech peers. A hefty lawsuit could foreshadow even more trouble.