A federal judge ruled Monday that Google violated antitrust laws while building its internet search empire, in a ruling that could have a major impact on how people interact with the internet.
Judge Amit Mehta found that Google had violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, a US antitrust law, by maintaining a monopoly on search services and advertising.
“After careful consideration of the witness testimony and evidence, the Court concludes that Google is a monopoly and has acted as a monopoly to maintain its monopoly,” the ruling read.
The ruling is one of the biggest antitrust decisions in decades and caps a case that pitted the Justice Department against one of the world’s most valuable companies. It is also part of a broader effort by the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and European regulators in recent years to scrutinize big tech companies for alleged monopolistic behavior.
More details coming soon…
