“It doesn’t take a web search to understand that unchecked corporate power shouldn’t have disproportionate control over our data and information,” James said.
New York Attorney General Letitia James along with Attorneys General from 37 other states has filed a lawsuit against Google. The aim of the lawsuit is to end what she calls Google's "illegal monopoly in search services."
"It doesn't take a web search to understand that unchecked corporate power shouldn't have disproportionate control over our data and information," James said.
#BREAKING: I'm filing a lawsuit against @Google with 37 AGs to end its illegal monopoly in search services.
It doesn’t take a web search to understand that unchecked corporate power shouldn’t have disproportionate control over our data and information.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG)
"For decades, @Google has served as the gatekeeper of the internet and has weaponized our data to kill off competitors and control our decision making. While @Google continues to make billions in profits, we're all paying more for the services we use every day," James tweeted.
James had already filed suit against Facebook, and this suit bears similarities.
"Just like our lawsuit against @Facebook, today's lawsuit should once again send a clear message to @Google and every other company: Efforts to stifle competition, reduce innovation, or cut privacy protections will be met with the full force of my office."
Just like our lawsuit against @Facebook, today's lawsuit should once again send a clear message to @Google and every other company:
Efforts to stifle competition, reduce innovation, or cut privacy protections will be met with the full force of my office.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG)
The Trump administration joined James' bipartisan suit against Facebook. At the time of the filing of that suit, James said that "Facebook has used its monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users. Instead of improving its own product, Facebook took advantage of consumers and made billions of dollars converting their personal data into a cash cow.
"Today’s suit should send a clear message to Facebook and every other company: Efforts to stifle competition, reduce innovation, or cut privacy protections will be met with the full force of almost every attorney general's office in the nation."
James is one of many on both sides of the aisle who have been fighting the Big Tech monopolies, alleging that their tightening of competition has put a stranglehold on the industry.
The Trump administration has been advocating for the removal of Section 230, which is a provision under the Federal Communications Commission that classifies many tech companies' offerings as platforms and not publishers. This means that the platforms are not held liable for the content on their sites, as they are merely the hosts and not the content creators.
This total freedom to do as they please, coupled with business practices to do away with competitors, makes Big Tech companies ready targets for anti-trust action.
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