The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Google LLC on Tuesday, alleging the California-based digital giant has monopolized digital advertising technology products.
The move marked the second time the department has sued Google, following a case in October 2020 when the federal government alleged the company unlawfully monopolized online search services.
California, New York and six other states joined the latest lawsuit.
The department said Google has wielded its dominance across digital advertising markets to force more publishers and advertisers to use its products, and thwarted the ability to use competing products.
"Google has used anticompetitive, exclusionary, and unlawful conduct to eliminate or severely diminish any threat to its dominance over digital advertising technologies," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in the justice department's statement.
Google immediately rebutted the lawsuit, saying in a statement that the department "is doubling down on a flawed argument that would slow innovation, raise advertising fees and make it harder for thousands of small businesses and publishers to grow."
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