The US Justice Department’s landmark antitrust lawsuit against Google has finally begun. The department has accused Google of monopolistic behavior in the online advertising market, sparking concerns that a Google win could have severe consequences for the future of the open web.
The open web refers to an internet information infrastructure that is free, decentralized, and accessible to everyone. It is an ecosystem that has no central authorities controlling access and managing the information people access through traditional web interfaces such as web browsers. However, with Google as a dominant gatekeeper for most netizens worldwide, the open web is under threat.
Lee Hepner, a California-based antitrust lawyer, claims that if Google wins the case, the open web will continue to decline. An open web means opportunity for small online businesses, and if we lose this ecosystem, the online market will become increasingly vertical and entrapped within Big Tech’s walled gardens.
Experts argue that if Google exerts a monopolistic influence on advertising, it will lead to higher consumer prices for online goods and services. A Google win would also create a virtually insurmountable divide between the haves and the have-nots in the online market. The digital advertising landscape should be more accessible, giving small and medium businesses a better opportunity to reach online shoppers.
The DoJ’s lawsuit argues that Google created a market monopoly by unlawfully acquiring smaller rivals in the advertising business. It also accuses Google of controlling vital parts of the advertising supply chain, actively raising prices to make advertisers pay more and website owners get much less.