The Economic Rationale of United States v. Google
24 Pages Posted: 20 Jan 2022
Date Written: January 19, 2022
Abstract
In 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an antitrust suit against Google alleging that Google has unlawfully monopolized the markets for general search services, search advertising, and general search text advertising. The complaint raises questions involving market definition, monopoly power, and monopolizing conduct. In this article, we examine these issues through the lens of microeconomic principles. Our analysis finds that there is a sound economic rationale for the DOJ’s complaint.
Keywords: Monopolization, Google, Antitrust, Search Services, Search Advertising
JEL Classification: K20, K21, K14, K41, L10, L12, L40, L41, L42, M37
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