US antitrust cases against US tech giants

Launched under both the Trump and Biden administrations, five major antitrust cases from the Federal Trade Commission and the US Department of Justice are proceeding against major American technology companies.

These cases represent a significant shift in antitrust enforcement in the United States, with regulators taking a more aggressive approach toward big tech companies after a relatively quiet period in antitrust prosecution since the Microsoft case in the late 1990s.

– Google Search –

The DOJ’s case against Google regarding its dominance of internet search was filed in 2020.

In August 2024, Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly in online search, marking a landmark decision.

Before lodging its appeal, Google must await the resolution of the case’s remedies phase, with both sides due in court later this month to argue over how to fix the illegal monopoly.

The US government is asking that the Chrome browser be spun off from Google, and for an end to the tens of billions of dollars Google pays to Apple annually to secure its default position on the iPhone’s Safari browser.

A decision is expected from Judge Mehta this summer.

As with all these cases, an appeal potentially reaching the US Supreme Court is almost certain, extending legal proceedings for years.

– Google Ad Tech –

The Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Google’s ad tech business, filed in a Virginia federal court in January 2023, alleges that Google built a monopoly in the digital advertising market through strategic acquisitions and anticompetitive behavior.

The lawsuit specifically targets Google’s dominance across three sectors of online advertising — publisher ad servers, advertiser tools, and ad exchanges — and seeks to force Google to divest portions of its advertising technology business to restore competition.

The trial concluded late last year, and the case is now awaiting a ruling from Judge Leonie Brinkema, which is expected shortly.

– Meta –

The Federal Trade Commission’s case against Meta (Facebook’s parent company) was filed in 2020, with the FTC alleging that Meta illegally maintained a monopoly in “personal social networking” services by acquiring potential rivals Instagram and WhatsApp.

The FTC is seeking potential divestiture of the acquired platforms, while Meta argues their acquisitions benefited customers.

The case goes to trial in Washington on April 14, with proceedings expected to last at least eight weeks before Judge James Boasberg.

Meta CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg has lobbied the White House as he tries to persuade President Donald Trump to choose settlement instead of proceeding with the trial.

– Amazon –

Filed in September 2023, the Federal Trade Commission argues that Amazon illegally maintains a monopoly in online retail.

The lawsuit specifically targets Amazon’s “buy box” feature, which prominently displays preferred sellers, and claims that Amazon imposes penalties on sellers who offer lower prices elsewhere, effectively preventing meaningful price competition and harming both merchants and consumers.

The trial for the case is currently scheduled to begin in a Seattle federal court in October 2026, with Judge John Chun presiding.

– Apple –

The Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Apple, filed in March 2024, was the last of the major cases to be launched against the big tech companies.

It alleges that the company illegally maintains a monopoly over smartphones by making it difficult for consumers to switch from iPhones to other devices and by limiting how well competing products like non-Apple smartwatches and digital wallets work with iPhones.

The lawsuit was filed in a New Jersey federal court and will be tried before Judge Julien Neals.