Google is under legal fire in the United Kingdom, with a new class action lawsuit accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominance in the online search market — and potentially costing UK businesses billions.
What’s the lawsuit about?
Filed at the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal on Tuesday, the lawsuit alleges that Google used its powerful position in the online search space to overcharge businesses for advertising. The case, brought by competition law expert Or Brook on behalf of UK businesses, is seeking up to around $6.6 billion in damages.
How did Google allegedly do this?
According to the claim, Google made deals with phone makers to pre-install its search engine and Chrome browser on Android devices — and paid Apple to keep Google Search as the default on iPhones. These moves, the lawsuit argues, helped Google shut out competitors and control access to mobile search.
The claim also says Google gave its own advertising products better functionality and features within its search engine, giving itself a significant edge over rival ad platforms.
Why does this matter?
For many businesses, advertising on Google isn’t optional — it’s essential. Brook argues that Google’s dominance forces companies to use its ad services if they want visibility, particularly since Google handles around 90% of UK web searches.
“Securing a spot on Google’s top pages is essential for visibility,” Brook said. “Google has been leveraging its dominance… to overcharge advertisers.”
What does Google say?
Google has dismissed the lawsuit as “speculative and opportunistic.” A company spokesperson said the tech giant will fight the case, insisting that businesses and users choose Google because it’s useful — not because there’s no competition.
What happens next?
This legal action comes as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is already investigating Google’s search and ad services. That probe, launched in January, is looking into how Google’s dominance affects advertisers and consumers across Britain.
More than 200,000 UK businesses rely on Google to advertise, according to the CMA — making the outcome of both the lawsuit and the investigation something to watch closely.
