Google is facing a monumental £25 billion legal claim in the UK, igniting significant scrutiny over the tech giant’s practices in the online search advertising market. The claim, spearheaded by Roger Kaye KC, a former deputy High Court judge, alleges that Google has abused its dominant market position by orchestrating agreements with mobile device manufacturers to establish Google Search as the default option. This arrangement purportedly led to inflated advertising costs for a broad spectrum of UK advertisers, affecting between 500,000 and 1.5 million businesses. Kaye argues that such monopolistic behaviours have fostered “excessive and unfair prices” for advertising, calling for compensation for all advertisers who have paid Google for search advertising since January 2011.

“This monopolisation of the advertising space to the point of abuse cannot continue,” Kaye asserted, emphasising the need for accountability in an industry that is increasingly shaped by a few dominant players. The action represents a notable evolution in legal approaches to corporate governance, as noted by Duncan Hedar, head of competition at KP Law, who remarked that this claim seeks to protect a substantial number of businesses from the consequences of Google’s alleged market abuses.

This lawsuit is not an isolated incident; it follows a trend of legal challenges against Google regarding its market practices. In September 2022, similar allegations were made in the UK and the Netherlands, which could have resulted in damages up to €25 billion (£19.5 billion). Claims in both jurisdictions focused on compensating publishers harmed by Google’s alleged anti-competitive conduct. The UK’s case specifically sought to recover an estimated £7 billion in advertising revenue losses caused by the company’s market dominance, with Google consistently denying any wrongdoing and vowing to contest these allegations vigorously.

Recent rulings have further underscored the growing legal pressure on Google. In June 2024, the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled that Google must face a £13.6 billion lawsuit, declaring that the tech giant’s control over the online advertising market constituted anti-competitive behaviour. This move marked a milestone in the increasing examination of Google’s business practices, as it struggled to dismiss growing legal action against it.

Compounding the challenges faced in the UK, Google encountered significant setbacks in the U.S. In August 2024, a federal judge determined that Google had violated antitrust laws by establishing an illegal monopoly via exclusive agreements that made its search engine the default on various platforms. This ruling, which positioned federal authorities in a strong position to challenge Big Tech’s dominance, left the company contemplating an appeal against what it termed “meritless” claims.

The ongoing legal battles represent wider concerns about the unchecked power of large technology firms and their impact on market competition. In a recent ruling in 2025, a U.S. District Judge found that Google had wilfully monopolised segments of the digital advertising market, directing attention to its integration of advertising technology that limited competition and harmed publishers relying on its services. This ruling could result in significant changes to Google’s business model, including potential divestitures of various components of its advertising operations.

The unfolding legal landscape speaks to the broader urgency for regulatory measures to address the power dynamics in digital markets. The cumulative impact of these lawsuits could create pressure not just for Google, but for the tech industry as a whole, as stakeholders search for a balance between innovation and fair competition. As technology increasingly shapes the economy, the outcome of these cases may set vital precedents for how market dominance is managed and enforced.

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Source: Noah Wire Services