Canada sues Google for violating competition laws in online advertising

(CLO) The Canadian Competition Bureau is suing Alphabet's Google for allegedly engaging in anti-competitive behavior in online advertising, the antitrust watchdog announced on November 28.

Specifically, the Competition Bureau said it has filed an application with the Competition Tribunal for an order requiring Google to sell two of its advertising technology tools. In addition, the agency is seeking a penalty against Google to promote compliance with competition regulations in Canada.

Google responded that the complaint “ignores the fierce competition” in the advertising market, where buyers and sellers of ads have many options. The company said it looked forward to arguing its case in court.

“Our ad technology tools help websites and apps fund their content, while enabling businesses of all sizes to reach new customers efficiently,” said Dan Taylor, Google’s vice president of global advertising.

Illustration photo: Reuters

The Competition Bureau began an investigation in 2020 into whether Google had engaged in practices that harmed competition in the online advertising industry. Earlier this year, the investigation was expanded to include Google's advertising technology services.

The investigation found that Google is the largest provider of advertising technology for web ads in Canada and has “abused its dominant position through conduct designed to maintain and enhance its market power,” the agency said on November 28.

The lawsuit comes after the US Department of Justice attempted to prove that Google monopolizes the market for publishers' ad servers and advertisers' ad networks.

Google argues that the Justice Department is ignoring the company’s legitimate business decisions and that the online advertising market is robust. The company also says the government is focusing on a small portion of the online market without taking into account fierce competition.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/canada-kien-google-vi-pham-luat-canh-tranh-trong-quang-cao-truc-tuyen-post323482.html