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Economy

Ohio sues Google, seeks to declare the internet company a public utility

2021-06-11

[BEACONJOURNAL] Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed a lawsuit asking a court to declare Google a public utility that should be regulated as such.

"Google uses its dominance of internet search to steer Ohioans to Google’s own products — that's discriminatory and anti-competitive," Yost said in a statement. "When you own the railroad or the electric company or the cellphone tower, you have to treat everyone the same and give everybody access."

The lawsuit, filed in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, is believed to be the first of its kind, Yost's office said.

Specifically, the lawsuit seeks a legal declaration that Google is a "common carrier," like phone, gas and electric companies, which must provide its services to anyone willing to pay its fee. In lieu of a fee, Yost argues in the complaint, Google collects user data that is monetized primarily by selling targeted advertisements.

Yost argues Google should therefore not be able to prioritize placement of its own products, services and websites on its search results pages.

Google disadvantages businesses and consumers by ranking its own services above competitors, Yost argues in the complaint. For example, if someone searches for a flight, Google Flights is the first result that pops up after advertisements, not other search sites such as Expedia and Travelocity.

Posted by:Fred

#5 What a waste of time. It's a web site. Privately owned. Privately operated. On private property. So is Facebook. So is Rantburg.

It's a publicly traded corporation owned by the shareholders. It has received certain protections by law that require it to behave in a certain way. It does not abide by these regulations. You don't appear to understand how these things work.

Posted by: Tarzan and Company9874 2021-06-11 21:24

#4 Alexander Graham bBell was also a private citizen with a communication device....

Posted by: 746 2021-06-11 12:33

#3 What a waste of time. It's a web site. Privately owned. Privately operated. On private property. So is Facebook. So is Rantburg.

So was the lunch counter at Woolworths in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Posted by: Procopius2k 2021-06-11 07:44

#2
This is a pure case of "trial and error", I suppose he is edged on by the success the EU has had going against the internet titans and winning "cash and prizes" in the EU courts. Time and trials will tell...

Posted by: Bob Ebbusoter9535 2021-06-11 00:31

#1 What a waste of time. It's a web site. Privately owned. Privately operated. On private property. So is Facebook. So is Rantburg.

Posted by: Blackbeard Barnsmell6454 2021-06-11 00:26

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