Despite Google recently announcing it would pay $1 billion to news publishers, a newspaper company has filed what it says is the first antitrust suit against Google and Facebook over digital advertising. HD Media, which publishes seven newspapers, accuses the two companies of entering into a secret agreement.
According to Editor & Publisher Magazine, the suit specifies that this secret agreement, codenamed “Jedi Blue,” manipulated online advertising auctions. It also claims that Google’s monopolization of the digital advertising market is threatening local newspapers across the US.
“The freedom of the press is not at stake,” the suit reportedly says. “The press itself is at stake.”
appleinsider.com/articles/21/02/01/newspaper-firm-sues-google-and-facebook-over-ad-revenue
Someday you’ll be free to read whatever portions of the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times that Google permits.
h/t SG