In a recent ruling, a federal judge has limited the scope of the antitrust suit to be brought against Google in the upcoming trial starting September 12th. This is a major victory for Google, even though they will still need to confront other accusations put forward by the enforcers. The decision to exclude the states' assertions of search engine manipulation has been a setback for companies, such as Yelp, who have been attempting to persuade regulators to address Google's search results page layout for more than a decade.
A federal judge issued a decision that grants, in part, Google's motion for summary judgment and narrows the case that the Department of Justice and a coalition of states can make in the antitrust trial against Google, scheduled to begin on September 12. This is considered a significant victory for Google, as these enforcers will still need to face other claims when the trial begins. Judge Mehta removed claims that pertain to agreements Google made for its Android mobile operating system, Google Assistant, and internet of things devices. Additionally, he dismissed the states' allegation that Google unfairly hurt competitors such as Yelp and Tripadvisor through the design of its search results page. On the other hand, the judge allowed the DOJ's case to proceed, denying Google's motion for summary judgment with regards to the exclusionary dealing arrangements it has. Furthermore, claims against Google's search ad tool SA360 will still move forward.
In response to the judge's ruling, Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs and chief legal officer, said, "We appreciate the Court's careful consideration and decision to dismiss claims regarding the design of Google Search...We look forward to showing at trial that promoting and distributing our services is both legal and pro-competitive." Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser maintained, "We will continue to evaluate how to best press forward and establish Google's pattern of illegal conduct that harms consumers and competition." The DOJ has yet to comment on the ruling.
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