AG News Release: Attorney General 2019-56 Attorney General Joins Bipartisan Coalition Investigating Google
Posted on Sep 10, 2019 in Latest Department NewsHONOLULU – Attorney General Clare E. Connors today joined 49 attorneys general in a multistate, bipartisan investigation of tech giant Google’s business practices in accordance with 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 anticompetitive behavior that harms consumers. Legal experts from each state will work in cooperation with Federal authorities to assess competitive conditions for online services and ensure that Americans have access to free digital markets.
“Access to information is power and Google is one of the biggest companies in the information business,” said Attorney General Connors. “There are serious concerns that Google’s current position is the result of anticompetitive business practices rather than the excellence of their product offerings.”
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 these previous investigations, however, fully address 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.
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For more information, contact:
Krishna F. Jayaram
Special Assistant to the Attorney General
(808) 586-1284
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @ATGHIgov