Google pushes to dismiss most of states' ad antitrust suit
Spencer Platt/Getty Images News


Google (GOOG
-0.7%, GOOGL
-0.6%) has filed to throw out most of an antitrust lawsuit filed by states led by Texas.
The states have charged the search-engine giant with abusing dominance in online advertising. But Google says the plaintiffs have failed to show that it illegally worked with the company then known as Facebook (FB
-2.2%) to counter publishers' "header bidding" monetization strategy.

The states have a "collection of grievances" but no proof, Google says in asking that four of the six counts in the suit be dismissed with prejudice. (The suit has two other claims based on state law that are currently stayed.)
The lawsuit also charges Google with using at least three programs to manipulate advertising auctions in order to guide advertisers and publishers toward its own tools.
Texas and several states launched their litigation in December 2020, and several other states joined in later.