Google’s second antitrust suit brought by US begins, over online ads

DoJ accused tech giant of more monopolistic behavior a month after judge found it illegally cornered online search

A second antitrust trial pitting Google against the US Department of Justice began on 9 September, with a federal judge in Virginia hearing opening statements over whether the tech giant illegally monopolized the digital advertising industry. The case could have far-reaching implications for Google’s primary source of revenue as well as the tech industry and online publishers.

The long-awaited trial is the second major US antitrust suit against Google, after the company lost a landmark case last month that determined the company illegally monopolized the online search industry. Unlike in that trial, the justice department is seeking specific remedies in its second case, ones that would force Google to break up parts of its business and divest some of its advertising technology.