London (AFP) – Google faces a fresh UK lawsuit accusing it of abusing its dominance in online display advertising, the claimants announced Thursday, in the latest antitrust action against the US tech giant. The claim filed on behalf of British advertisers is seeking up to £3 billion ($4 billion) in compensation, according to an estimate from KP Law, the firm leading the action.
The case argues that Google favoured its own display advertising services, such as banner ads shown on websites, while excluding its rivals. KP Law said Google’s practices left “advertisers paying more for less effective display advertising.” A Google spokesperson called the allegations “meritless.” “Advertisers have many choices, and they choose our ad tech tools because they’re simple, effective and affordable,” the spokesperson said.
The case has been brought as a collective action, meaning all potentially affected clients are automatically included unless they choose to opt out. It covers all UK advertisers who have paid for Google’s advertising services since October 1, 2015. The claim was yet to be formally served, according to Google.
The company’s advertising practices have been the subject of multiple investigations and legal proceedings in the UK, the European Union, and the United States. A separate lawsuit filed in UK courts last year also accused Google of overcharging for online advertising. Other cases on similar grounds are ongoing, including a £13.6 billion claim brought on behalf of online content publishers, which was cleared in 2024 to proceed to trial.
Google is also facing efforts by the US government to break up its digital advertising business to curtail its dominance. Last year, the EU hit Google with a massive 2.95-billion-euro antitrust fine for favouring its own advertising services. Google has said it will appeal the fine.
© 2024 AFP
