Georgia Joins Other States in Google AntiTrust Investigation

Attorney General Chris Carr has announced that Georgia has joined 49 other attorneys general in a multi-state, bipartisan investigation of Google’s business practices for possible violations of state and federal antitrust laws.

The bipartisan coalition announced plans to investigate Google’s overarching control of online advertising markets and search traffic that may have led to anti-competitive behavior that harms consumers.

In a press release issued this week, Carr said his office joined the investigation in order to assess the competitive conditions regarding Google’s online services, specifically those dealing with online advertising and search traffic.

Carr went on to say that it is critically important that Google’s Georgia users – individuals as well as companies – have access to the markets in which they compete.

Past investigations of Google uncovered violations ranging from advertising illegal drugs in the United States to now three antitrust actions brought by the European Commission.

None of the previous investigations, however, have fully addressed the source of Google’s sustained market power and the ability to engage in serial and repeated business practices with the intention to protect and maintain that power.