South Raleigh News

Attorney General Josh Stein, along with other state attorneys general and the Justice Department, has proposed measures aimed at dismantling Google's monopoly over internet search engines. This move seeks to reinstate competition in the market.

"Google damaged the market and harmed competition for North Carolinians," stated Attorney General Josh Stein. "These steps would help restore healthy competition and ensure that Google has to play by the same rules as everyone else again."

In December 2020, Attorney General Stein was part of an executive committee leading 38 bipartisan attorneys general in a lawsuit against Google. The lawsuit alleged that Google maintained its monopoly power over general search engines through anticompetitive contracts and conduct. A significant ruling in August 2024 by a D.C. federal district court judge found Google guilty of violating federal antitrust laws by maintaining a monopoly in online search and search text ads.

The proposed final judgment aims to address these issues, with a hearing scheduled for April 22, 2025.

Attorney General Stein's proposal is supported by attorneys general from several states including Colorado, Nebraska, Arizona, Iowa, New York, Tennessee, Utah, Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Dakota Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wyoming.