Google advances antitrust lawsuit over advertising deal with Facebook – CNET

Google is accused of having an illegal contract with Facebook (now Meta), which competes in online advertising.Antitrust Lawsuits Filed by Multiple Statesmade progress.

Courtesy: James Martin/CNET

In 2020, 16 states and territories, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, sued Google, alleging that it signed a confidential agreement with Facebook in 2018 codenamed “Jedi Blue.” . This allegedly gave Facebook an illegal advantage in Google’s online ad auctions. Facebook is not included in the lawsuit.

Google sought to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the actions described by those states were lawful. Judge P. Kevin Castel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on September 13 allowed the proceedings to proceed and dismissed the allegations that the contract was an unlawful restraint of trade, the companies agreed. He said, “There is nothing incomprehensible or suspicious about the circumstances that led to this.”

Google said Judge Castel’s ruling pointed to flaws in Attorney General Paxton’s complaint.