Google Faces £5 Billion UK Lawsuit Over Alleged Online Search Monopoly
Google is facing a major legal challenge in the United Kingdom, where a £5 billion ($6.6 billion) class action lawsuit has been filed accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominant position in the online search market.
The claim, brought before the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal on Tuesday, alleges that Google manipulated its market power to inflate the cost of digital advertising, ultimately harming thousands of businesses that rely on its search platform for visibility and customer reach.
Filed by competition law specialist Dr. Or Brook, the lawsuit argues that Google secured its dominance by striking deals with device manufacturers and other platforms to limit consumer access to competing search engines. The claim cites Google’s arrangements with Android phone makers to pre-install Google Search and Chrome, as well as payments made to Apple to make Google the default search engine on iPhones.
“Businesses had virtually no choice but to advertise through Google,” said Brook. “Millions depend on appearing in Google’s top search results to reach customers. This dominance has allowed Google to overcharge advertisers and squeeze out competition.”
Google Pushes Back
Google, owned by Alphabet Inc., dismissed the lawsuit as unfounded. “This is yet another speculative and opportunistic case,” a company spokesperson said. “People and advertisers choose Google because it’s useful, not because they’re forced to.”
The company said it will challenge the claim robustly in court.
Advertising Under Scrutiny
The class action centers on claims that Google gave preferential treatment to its own advertising services, tailoring search engine functionalities to favor its ad business while sidelining rival offerings. Brook’s claim asserts that this imbalance drove up ad prices in a market where genuine competition was effectively suppressed.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is already investigating Google’s practices in the search and digital advertising sectors. The regulator launched a formal probe in January, citing concerns over how Google’s dominance may be affecting competition and pricing in advertising markets.
According to the CMA, Google is responsible for roughly 90% of internet searches in the UK and serves as a key advertising channel for more than 200,000 UK-based businesses.
This latest lawsuit adds to growing global scrutiny of Google’s business practices, as regulators and legal bodies worldwide examine the firm’s role in shaping the digital economy.
