The United States District Court for the Northern District of California stated last week that it will approve a $700 million settlement in a multistate antitrust lawsuit against Google. In 2021, Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a bipartisan group of 53 attorneys general who sued Google for illegally dominating Android app distribution and in-app payments related to the Google Play Store. The approval of the settlement ends a five-year case and gives relief to consumers nationwide who were affected by Google's actions.
Most of the settlement funds will go directly to people who made purchases on Google Play between August 2016 and September 2023. Most recipients won't need to fill out a claim form and will receive their payments through PayPal or Venmo. If consumers don't have access to PayPal or Venmo, they can file a claim through a separate process to receive their payment.
“Google's anticompetitive practices stifled competition at the expense of its customers,” said Attorney General Nessel. “I am glad we are one step closer to having Google update its business practices and ensuring consumers automatically receive the restitution they are owed. My office remains committed to dismantling illegal monopolies and protecting the hard-earned money of Michiganders.”
The settlement forces Google to update its business practices. For at least five years, app developers may use alternate payment systems, inform customers about lower prices outside Google's billing system, and list their apps on competing stores without fear of retaliation. Android users can download apps from outside the Play Store for at least seven years.
Additional information about the lawsuit and settlement is available on the settlement website.
Nessel joined this effort alongside the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawai’i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Most of the settlement funds will go directly to people who made purchases on Google Play between August 2016 and September 2023. Most recipients won't need to fill out a claim form and will receive their payments through PayPal or Venmo. If consumers don't have access to PayPal or Venmo, they can file a claim through a separate process to receive their payment.
“Google's anticompetitive practices stifled competition at the expense of its customers,” said Attorney General Nessel. “I am glad we are one step closer to having Google update its business practices and ensuring consumers automatically receive the restitution they are owed. My office remains committed to dismantling illegal monopolies and protecting the hard-earned money of Michiganders.”
The settlement forces Google to update its business practices. For at least five years, app developers may use alternate payment systems, inform customers about lower prices outside Google's billing system, and list their apps on competing stores without fear of retaliation. Android users can download apps from outside the Play Store for at least seven years.
Additional information about the lawsuit and settlement is available on the settlement website.
Nessel joined this effort alongside the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawai’i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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