Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin praised a federal judge’s ruling that Google unlawfully sought to maintain its market dominance.
The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by Arkansas, the U.S. Department of Justice, and 13 other state attorneys general against the tech giant.
“This victory holds Google accountable for its anticompetitive acts that resulted in a stranglehold on online search markets. This ruling is a win for Arkansans and should send a message to all businesses that unlawful and unfair practices will not be tolerated. Now that liability has been determined, I will continue to push forward with this lawsuit to seek injunctive relief that benefits Arkansans and provides space for competition among internet search engines,” Griffin stated.
The court found Google in violation of federal antitrust laws by entering into exclusionary contracts, which made Google the default and exclusive search engine for browsers, mobile devices, and wireless carriers in exchange for a share of the revenue generated.
The case, which was consolidated with another enforcement action by 38 other attorneys general, was adjudicated by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The court determined that Google’s contracts were anticompetitive, lacked procompetitive justification, and confirmed Google’s monopoly power in multiple online search markets.
