Alphabet confirms that DOJ is pursuing antitrust review

FAN Editor

An employee passes the Google logo.

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Alphabet said in a securities filing on Friday that it’s being investigated by the Department of Justice and expects future probes from specific U.S. states.

“On August 30, 2019, Alphabet received a civil investigative demand from the DOJ requesting information and documents relating to our prior antitrust investigations in the United States and elsewhere,” the company said in the filing. “We expect to receive in the future similar investigative demands from state attorneys general.”

The Justice Department announced a broad antitrust review of big tech companies in July but didn’t name companies. The disclosure comes two weeks after top DOJ antitrust official Makan Delrahim confirmed “a couple dozen state attorneys general have expressed an interest” in a joint investigation of tech companies. At the time, Delrahim said the Justice Department plans to work with the states.

The investigation will focus on the company’s dominant position in digital advertising markets and possible consumer harm, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“We continue to cooperate with the DOJ, federal and state regulators in the United States, and other regulators around the world,” Friday’s filing said.

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