Google Texas Lawsuit: Judge Issues Protective Order Against Search Giant in Antitrust Case

This is one of three big antitrust lawsuits filed against Google last year.

By Reuters | Updated: 15 April 2021 11:21 IST

Google Texas Lawsuit: Judge Issues Protective Order Against Search Giant in Antitrust Case

In-house counsel for Google is barred from seeing "highly confidential" information under the order

Highlights

Google denies any wrongdoing
It is one of three big antitrust lawsuits filed against Google last year
It said that its products are dominant because consumers prefer them

The judge hearing the Texas antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet's Google put limits on what the search giant's in-house lawyers can see in an order aimed at ensuring that confidential information used in an upcoming trial remains secure.

The issue is a key one for companies that have not been identified but that gave information to the Texas attorney general's office for its investigation and fear that their confidential data, like strategic business plans or discussions about negotiations, could be disclosed to Google executives.

The order issued by Judge Sean Jordan of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas allows Google's in-house counsel to see information deemed "confidential" but they are then limited in advising on some competitive and other decision-making for two years regarding the companies whose data they see.

[Sponsored] Samsung Galaxy S24: The Ultimate Camera Phone With Smarter On-Device AI

In-house counsel for Google is barred from seeing "highly confidential" information under the order unless it is given permission by the court or the affected company.

The Texas lawsuit accuses Google of violating the law in how it dominates the process of placing advertisements online. It alleges Google quietly teams with its closest online advertising competitor, Facebook, and that it uses the excuse of protecting users' privacy to act unfairly. Publishers complain that one result has been lower revenues.

Google denies any wrongdoing.

It is one of three big antitrust lawsuits filed against Google last year.

California Files to Join US Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google

The protective order also requires people who receive confidential and highly confidential information to agree to allow electronic devices used in their work on the lawsuit to be searched if needed as part of a forensic investigation into a potential leak.

Why did LG give up on its smartphone business? We discussed this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Later (starting at 22:00), we talk about the new co-op RPG shooter Outriders. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.