New DOJ lawsuit could break up Google

The Justice Department and states including California, New York, Colorado and Virginia filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging the search and advertising behemoth illegally monopolized the market for online ads through a yearslong practice of self-dealing, anticompetitive acquisitions, and forcing businesses to use multiple products and services that it offers.

The suit could lead to a breakup of Google’s massive advertising business, but any resolution is likely years away.

It’s the latest in a barrage of antitrust lawsuits against Google. It’s both the DOJ’s second case, and the second case targeting its ad business. The DOJ and a group of state attorneys general sued in October 2020 over Google’s dominance in web searches, and a Texas-led group of state attorneys general challenged its advertising business later that year. Yet another case was filed by a Utah-led group of states last year over Google Play, its mobile app store.