Gannett, the largest news publisher in the United States, has taken legal action against Google, joining a growing list of lawsuits accusing the search giant of monopolistic behavior. Gannett’s lawsuit echoes many of the arguments put forth by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in its second lawsuit against Google, filed earlier this year. The lawsuit alleges that Google’s dominance in the online advertising industry has negatively impacted publishers, readers, and the overall digital economy.
According to Gannett CEO Mike Reed, “Google has monopolized market trading to their advantage and at the expense of publishers, readers, and everyone else.” Reed emphasized the vital role of digital advertising in sustaining the online economy and expressed concerns about the lack of free and fair competition for digital ad space, which hinders publishers’ ability to invest in their newsrooms.
