NH AG joins others in deep dive of Google biz practices

CONCORD - New Hampshire's Attorney General today announced on Monday that he has joined 50 attorneys general in a multistate investigation of Google's business practices in accordance with state and federal antitrust laws.

The coalition, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, announced plans to investigate Google's overarching control of online advertising markets and search traffic that may have led to anticompetitive behavior that harms consumers. Legal experts from each state will work in cooperation with federal authorities to assess competitive conditions for online services and ensure that Americans have access to free digital markets.

"Information is a powerful and valuable commodity in today's economy. The internet plays a critical role in our business and social lives. The way large corporations such as Google are able to control the flow of information raises significant concerns about business practices, reducing consumer choice, and violating users' privacy," said New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald. "Today's announcement should send a powerful signal to this industry that state attorneys general are united in their commitment to enforce the laws and protect the public in the digital age. New Hampshire will be actively participating in this important effort and as with any investigation, we will go where the facts lead us."

Past investigations of Google uncovered violations ranging from advertising illegal drugs in the United States to now three antitrust actions brought by the European Commission. None of these previous investigations, however, fully address the source of Google's sustained market power and the ability to engage in serial and repeated business practices with the intention to protect and maintain that power.

The Attorney General's Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, led by Senior Assistant Attorney General Brandon Garod, will participate with other states in this investigation.