Documents, Notes, Correspondence Between The ACCC And The US Department Of Justice About Google Search Pre-Installation

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The ACCC received correspondence from US Department of Justice International Counsel Leah McCoy dated October 21, 2020, notifying Australian regulators of a major DOJ antitrust enforcement action filed against Google alleging violations of the Sherman Act. The complaint, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia and supported by multiple US states, alleges Google unlawfully maintained monopolies in search and search advertising through exclusionary agreements that lock users into Google as the default search engine on billions of devices and computers globally. Specific allegations include exclusivity agreements prohibiting competitor pre-installation, tying arrangements forcing Google search applications into prime device locations and making them undeletable, long-term agreements with Apple requiring Google as the default search engine on Safari, and using monopoly profits to purchase preferential treatment across devices and browsers. The disclosure shows the ACCC was formally briefed on this significant international enforcement action targeting Google's search market dominance practices.