An Ohio Lawsuit Demands That Google Be Declared a Public Utility
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit against Google on Tuesday asking the court to legally declare the search giant a public utility, akin to electricity and gas providers.
The lawsuit also alleges Google hurts its rivals by prioritizing its own products and services in search results, displaying them above those of competitors. The case doesn’t seek any monetary damages.
“This suit does not argue that Google’s dominance of internet search is good or bad when viewed in isolation. Those issues are left to be resolved elsewhere,” the complaint reads. “Accepting this fact, the first claim is narrowly focused on establishing that Google’s provision of internet search is properly classified as a common carrier and/or public utility under Ohio common law.”
