A federal US judge ruled that Google illegally monopolized search and text advertising and violated antitrust laws. The ruling was in response to antitrust lawsuits filed by the US Department of Justice and attorneys general from thirty-eight states and territories in 2020. The court said Google's exclusive search deals with Android and Apple helped cement its dominance in search markets. Alphabet shares fell over 4% on the news as the ruling was the first major antitrust decision against a big tech company in decades. Google said it plans to appeal.
