Google and Facebook’s antitrust pileup: A Reader’s guide

After a burst of antitrust lawsuits from the US and nearly every state in the country in recent months, Alphabet Inc’s Google and Facebook Inc are in the fight of their lives.

The complaints level the same basic allegation against the companies — that they used their far-reaching power to squelch competition and preserve their dominance.

Now starts the long slog to determine whether US authorities can rein in the companies. If they succeed, Google and Facebook could lose their lucrative grip on digital advertising and consumer data. There’s even a risk that one of these companies could be broken up. Whatever the outcome, it will take years to sort out.