Google is under fire in the UK with a new lawsuit that accuses the tech giant of abusing its dominance in the online display advertising sector. Announced on Thursday, the lawsuit seeks approximately £3 billion ($4 billion) in compensation.
The claim, represented by KP Law, alleges that Google prioritized its own advertising services, such as banner ads, while sidelining competitors. This practice allegedly forced advertisers to pay higher prices for less effective advertising.
The lawsuit is a collective action, meaning all UK advertisers who have used Google's services since October 1, 2015, are automatically included unless they choose to opt out.
Google has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit. This action adds to a series of investigations and legal challenges the company has faced in the UK, EU, and the US.
Last year, another lawsuit accused Google of overcharging for its advertising services. In addition, a £13.6 billion claim on behalf of online content publishers was recently cleared to proceed to trial.
Internationally, the US government is also pursuing actions to dismantle Google's advertising business to reduce its market dominance. In a notable case, the EU imposed a €2.95 billion antitrust fine on Google for similar issues, which the company plans to appeal.