European media companies, including Axel Springer and Schibsted, have filed a lawsuit against Google seeking $2.3 billion in damages.
The lawsuit alleges Google’s practices in digital advertising have led to significant losses for the media companies involved.
The lawsuit was filed in the District Court of Amsterdam, a key jurisdiction for antitrust damages claims in Europe.
Trending in Tech: Adobe Unveils AI Tool for Streamlined Music Creation and Editing
Allegations and Impact on Google
The media companies claim that Google abused its dominant position in the ad tech market, resulting in lower revenues from advertising and higher fees for using its ad tech services.
They argue that without Google’s misconduct, they would have received higher revenues and paid lower fees, which could have been reinvested into strengthening the European media field.
Legal Response and Regulatory Scrutiny
Google has denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit “speculative and opportunistic.”
Stating that it works constructively with publishers across Europe and provides advertising tools that evolve in partnership with publishers.
The lawsuit comes at a time when antitrust regulators are cracking down on Google’s ad tech business both in Europe and the United States.
The lawsuit is a significant legal battle between European media companies and Google over alleged damages.
The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for the digital advertising market and competition within the industry.
