Google Faces Lawsuit Over Online Ad Dominance as Gannett Alleges Monopoly
Gannett, the prominent news publishing giant and owner of USA Today, has filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech company of holding a monopoly on ad technology and attempting to dominate the online advertising market. The lawsuit, submitted in federal court in Manhattan, claims that Google’s control over tools for buying and selling online ads forces publishers to sell ad space at lower prices to the Alphabet-owned company. This, in turn, leads to reduced revenue for publishers and their ad technology competitors, while Google allegedly reaps excessive profits as a result of its purported monopolistic practices.
In an opinion piece published in USA Today, Gannett CEO Mike Reed emphasized the vital role of digital advertising in the online economy, stating that “without free and fair competition for digital ad space, publishers cannot invest in their newsrooms.” The lawsuit seeks substantial damages, including actual, punitive, and triple damages, as Gannett aims to challenge what it perceives as an unjust advantage enjoyed by Google in the advertising market.
Google Ads Vice President, Dan Taylor, has responded to the allegations, refuting Gannett’s claims and asserting that publishers have multiple options when it comes to advertising technology. He further contends that publishers retain the majority of their revenue when utilizing Google’s advertising services.
To bolster its case against Google, Gannett has highlighted its declining print circulation, which suffered a nearly 20 percent decrease in 2020 and 2021. This decline has reportedly led to the closure of over 170 publications since Gannett’s merger with GateHouse Media in 2019.
The legal battle between Gannett and Google is poised to shape the future landscape of the digital advertising market and could have significant implications for publishers and tech giants alike. As the lawsuit unfolds, the industry will be closely watching the developments to see how the court addresses the allegations of monopolistic behavior in the online ad space.
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