Yelp Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google Following Monopoly Ruling

Yelp Takes Action Against Google Following Antitrust Ruling

In a significant legal development this month, a federal judge ruled that Google operates as an illegal monopoly, prompting various potential repercussions for the tech giant. One immediate outcome is becoming evident: the ruling has paved the way for additional lawsuits against Google.

On Wednesday, Yelp, a well-known platform that allows users to discover and review local businesses, launched a lawsuit against Google in federal court located in San Francisco. Yelp alleges that Google has exploited its supremacy as a general search engine to unfairly tilt the playing field in favor of its own local search services. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages as well as a court order requiring Google to cease its alleged anticompetitive practices; Yelp is requesting a jury trial to adjudicate the matter.

Yelp has long been a vocal critic of Google’s business practices, often expressing concerns about how the search giant prioritizes its own services over those of competitors in search results. However, this marks the first time Yelp has taken legal action against Google, despite years of advocating for regulatory scrutiny globally.

“This is truly a watershed moment,” said Jeremy Stoppelman, Yelp’s co-founder and chief executive, in an interview. “Now is the time to engage in this crucial conversation and rectify the wrongs of the past.”

Yelp’s lawsuit is grounded in the recent ruling by Judge Amit P. Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which concluded that Google had abused its power in the realm of online search. The ruling was part of a broader lawsuit initiated by the Justice Department and several states, which accused Google of solidifying its market dominance through agreements that paid companies like Apple and Samsung billions annually to default to Google’s search engine on their devices and browsers.

As reported by The New York Times, the Justice Department has contemplated asking Judge Mehta to consider breaking up Google in response to these antitrust findings. However, further hearings are anticipated to determine the appropriate remedies in the case, which are set to commence in September. Meanwhile, Google has announced its intention to appeal the ruling.