Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced on Monday his decision to participate in a US Department of Justice lawsuit against Google, citing the company’s alleged monopolization of online advertising.
“An open marketplace encourages competition and creativity,” Ferguson said in a statement. “When Google muscles in and dominates the market, everyone loses — except Google.”
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The lawsuit involves online advertising and alleges that Google has gained significant influence in the market. This includes controlling the technology used by publishers to offer ad space, tools used by advertisers to purchase ad space, and the primary ad exchange connecting publishers and advertisers. The lawsuit contends that this conduct negatively impacts publishers, who may struggle to earn revenue from ads and are forced to seek alternative means of generating income.
“Due to Google’s monopolization of advertising, website creators earn less and advertisers pay more than they would in a competitive market,” the AG’s office said in a news release Monday.
