Google wins dismissal of publishers’ AI search antitrust suits
A US judge ruled that Chegg and Penske Media’s allegations about traffic losses from Google’s AI features did not establish an antitrust violation.
US District Judge Amit Mehta has dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought by Chegg and Penske Media Corporation against Google over its AI-powered search features, including AI Overviews. The publishers alleged the features diverted traffic from their websites and damaged revenue.
In suits filed last year, Chegg and Penske Media claimed Google used its market power to pressure publishers to provide content for AI Overviews or risk losing visibility in search results. The court did not find that those allegations established an antitrust violation.
Mehta wrote that an expectation of receiving search traffic when content is made available for free is not an agreement, describing that expectation as part of how a general search engine works. He said he was not unsympathetic to publishers’ circumstances, but that lawmakers should address the economic effects of new innovation.
Publishers continue to report effects from Google’s AI search changes, including traffic declines, according to the source report. The Information reported this week that Google is paying about 100 publishers in a pilot covering AI Overviews, AI Mode and Gemini; further details were not provided.
The Verge, which reported the ruling, is part of Penske Media Corporation, one of the plaintiffs.
