Federal Court Grants Summary Judgment to Google on Some Antitrust Claims

A federal district court in New York City has granted Google's motion for summary judgment on several claims by publishers Gannett and Daily Mail against the tech giant. The claims, filed under the Sherman Act, alleged that Google's digital advertising practices were anti-competitive and had a monopoly effect. However, the court ruled that Google could not dispute certain issues already resolved in a separate DOJ action.

The court denied summary judgment to Google on several other claims, including those related to Enhanced Dynamic Allocation (EDA) and Minimum Bid to Win (MBTW). Gannett and Daily Mail pointed to evidence showing that EDA had redirected premium publisher inventory away from negotiated deals and onto AdX, while MBTW depressed prices paid for publisher ad impressions. The court found that a reasonable jury could find these practices harmed competition in the market.

The court also denied Google's motion to exclude expert witnesses from Gannett and Daily Mail. One expert testified on the impact of Google's conduct on competition, while another quantified damages. The court ruled that Google's objections to their methods were best left for cross-examination at trial.