Google is facing a £5 billion ($6.6 billion) lawsuit in the UK over allegations of abusing its dominant position in the online search market. The class action lawsuit, filed on April 16, 2025, in the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, accuses the US tech giant of using its near-total dominance in search to restrict competitors and inflate prices for search advertising. The case, brought forward by Or Brook, an academic specializing in competition law, represents the interests of hundreds of thousands of UK-based businesses that used Google’s search advertising services from January 1, 2011, until the filing date.

The class action targets Google’s alleged anticompetitive practices, claiming that Google’s dominance in search advertising left businesses with little choice but to use its services. Or Brook stated, “Today, UK businesses and organisations, big or small, have almost no choice but to use Google ads to advertise their products and services.” The lawsuit further alleges that Google has been overcharging advertisers, taking advantage of its monopolistic position to drive up prices and restrict competition.

The lawsuit highlights how Google has maintained its dominance in search through various measures, including securing deals with smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and Chrome on Android devices, as well as paying Apple billions to make Google the default search engine on Safari. Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Google’s Search Ads 360 tool offers better functionality for its own ads compared to rivals, further stifling competition in the search advertising market.

This is the latest in a series of legal challenges faced by Google and other Big Tech companies in recent years. In 2018, Google was fined €4.3 billion by the European Union for abusing the dominance of its Android operating system by forcing manufacturers to pre-install its apps. This ruling is still under appeal.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had previously found that Google controlled 90% of the UK search advertising market, underscoring the tech giant's market power. The current lawsuit seeks to hold Google accountable for its monopolistic practices and provide compensation to affected UK businesses.

As global regulatory scrutiny intensifies, Google has dismissed the lawsuit as “speculative” and vowed to vigorously defend itself. A company spokesperson stated, “Consumers and advertisers use Google because it’s helpful, not because there are no alternatives.”

The outcome of this class action lawsuit could have significant consequences for Google, the UK market, and the wider search advertising industry. If successful, the case could set a precedent for similar legal challenges against other Big Tech firms accused of stifling competition and exploiting their market power. Meanwhile, the UK's competition regulators continue to monitor the actions of Google and other tech giants as part of their efforts to ensure fair competition in digital markets.

In conclusion, this £5 billion lawsuit against Google marks a critical moment in the ongoing debate over the influence of Big Tech on the global economy. As businesses and consumers increasingly rely on digital advertising and search engines, the need for robust regulatory frameworks to prevent monopolistic behavior and promote competition becomes even more urgent.

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