US to file antitrust lawsuits against Google for ‘monopolising’ online ads

Federal and state regulators in the US are preparing to file antitrust lawsuits against Google after alleginmg that the tech giant abused its dominance of online search and advertising to stifle competition and boost its profits, according to a report published Friday.

The Wall Street Journal cited unidentified people familiar with the probes in a story about the upcoming offensive by the US Justice Department and the attorneys general from several states.

The Justice Department may file its case as early as this summer while Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton may take action in the fall, along with his peers in other states, according to the Journal. US Attorney General William Barr had previously said he hoped to decide whether to pursue an antitrust case against Google by the summer. Texas and other states announced they were looking into Google’s business practices last September.