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Google sued by USA Today publisher Gannett over ad technology monopoly

Gannett states that Google's ad monopoly hurts 'publishers, readers, and everyone else.'

Donovan Erskine

June 20, 2023 10:40 AM

Google

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There has been increased scrutiny on Google in recent years, particularly in regards to the company’s ad business. As Google continues to be an advertising juggernaut, many have accused the company of having a monopoly on the industry. Gannett, the company behind the USA Today, has filed a lawsuit against Google over its ad business.

Gannett filed its complaint against Google earlier today. On the third page of the document, Gannett states that “with control over the largest ad exchange and ad server — both of which Google
acquired rather than developed — Google has carried out a sophisticated, anticompetitive, and
deceptive scheme for well over a decade.”

Gannett Chairman and CEO Michael Reed provided a statement on Google’s ad monopoly and his company’s decision to sue.

Most recently, Google has been cutting costs and investing in AI. Earlier this year, the company laid off 12,000 employees. The company’s I/O event, which was held earlier this year, was almost exclusively focused on the advancement and implementation of AI technology.

Google has released an official statement following the news, calling Gannett’s claims “simply wrong.” This is just the latest lawsuit to come against Google over its ad business. Just this January, the Department of Justice filed its second lawsuit against Google over antitrust practices. As Google continues to catch heat for its ad business, it’ll be interesting to see if we’re nearing a major shift in the way the tech empire operates. Stick with Shacknews for the latest developments at Google and its handful of legal debacles.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_