Antitrust Case Against Google: U.S. Government’s Closing Arguments

The U.S. government is set to present its closing arguments in the antitrust case against Alphabet’s Google, accusing the tech giant of leveraging its dominance in online search to maintain its market supremacy.

The trial, initiated by the Trump administration, commenced on September 12 and focused on whether Google’s practices violate antitrust laws by unfairly favoring its own interests.

Scope of Antitrust Actions:

The lawsuit against Google is the first of five aimed at curbing tech giants’ market power. While the second case, targeting Meta, was also filed during the Trump administration, President Biden’s administration has pursued additional cases against Google, Amazon.com, and Apple Inc.

Examination of Google’s Conduct:

Throughout the trial, witnesses from Verizon, Samsung Electronics (maker of Android), and Google itself have provided insights into the company’s tactics, including its significant annual payments to secure default positions on smartphones and browsers.

Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, emphasized the importance of maintaining default status on devices to ensure user loyalty. However, Google contends that its market dominance results from product quality rather than anticompetitive behavior.

Argument Against Default Status:

Despite the substantial payments made by Google and Pichai’s acknowledgment of their significance, the company’s legal team argues that default status has limited value and does not prevent users from switching platforms if dissatisfied.