Posted by 
BRUSSELS — Thirty-two European media organizations filed a lawsuit against Google today, seeking damages of about €2.1 billion.
The lawsuit touches on the U.S. tech giant’s digital advertising practices, with the media groups claiming that they “incurred losses due to a less competitive market,” according to a statement shared by law firms Geradin Partners and Stek, which represent the organizations.
“Without Google’s abuse of its dominant position, the media companies would have received significantly higher revenues from advertising and paid lower fees for ad tech services,” the statement added.
Among the media groups are some of Europe’s leading news companies, including Axel Springer (owner of POLITICO), Norway-based Schibsted, and Benelux groups such as DPG Media and Mediahuis. The coalition claims to cover 17 European countries.
The lawsuit was filed in a Dutch court.
In June last year, the European Commission sent antitrust charges to Google over its advertising business.
“Our preliminary concern is that Google may have used its market position to favour its own intermediation services,” Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said at the time.
“Not only did this possibly harm Google’s competitors but also publishers’ interests, while also increasing advertisers’ costs.”
The European Union’s competition watchdog has been probing Google’s online display advertising business since 2021. It’s previously probed the company’s shopping search service, its mobile phone software and advertising contracts, levying more than €8 billion in fines.
“Google works constructively with publishers across Europe,” said Google’s legal director Oliver Bethell, adding that the lawsuit “is speculative and opportunistic”. “We’ll oppose it vigorously and on the facts.”
Edith Hancock contributed reporting.
