A fresh chapter in Google's antitrust challenges emerged yesterday as Yelp filed a lawsuit accusing Google of using its dominance in search to unlawfully control the local search and local search advertising markets.

Yelp contends that Google disadvantages consumers by prioritizing its own inferior local search offering over competing services, thereby restricting competition and raising costs for rivals. Yelp is seeking damages, the exact amount yet to be determined, with the potential for treble damages under the 1914 Clayton Act.

You can read the full complaint here.

Why this matters. Following a significant setback in the Department of Justice’s antitrust case alleging an unlawful monopoly in search and text advertising, Google appears to now face additional claims from individual companies that can demonstrate harm.

While we'll let the legal experts determine if the DOJ's victory will bolster cases like Yelp's, it's clear that Google would prefer to focus on other activities beyond courtroom defense.

Read more: Why Google lost: The DOJ’s case in 11 slides

"Deliberate anti-competitive actions." Yelp released the following statement:

"Our antitrust lawsuit against Google focuses on how Google exploits its illegal monopoly in general search to engage in anti-competitive behavior, such as favoring its own subpar local offerings. For years, Google has used its search dominance to boost its profits at the expense of consumer interests, innovation, and fair competition. Through deliberate exclusionary practices, Google has diverted traffic and revenue away from competitors, making it harder for them to expand, increasing their expenses, and diminishing consumer options—all to enhance its own market strength.

Judge Amit Mehta’s recent decision in the government’s antitrust case against Google, which found Google guilty of maintaining its monopoly in general search, marks a pivotal moment in antitrust law and strengthens our case against Google. Besides seeking injunctive relief, Yelp aims for a resolution that stops Google from self-promoting in local search. The damage caused by Google's self-preference extends beyond Yelp, and we are eager to present our case in court."

— Aaron Schur, General Counsel at Yelp

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