The United States District Court for the Northern District of California said last week that it will approve a $700 million settlement in a multistate antitrust lawsuit against Google, according to a May 5 statement from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The lawsuit, joined by Nessel and a bipartisan group of 53 attorneys general in 2021, accused Google of illegally dominating Android app distribution and in-app payments related to the Google Play Store.
The approval of this settlement concludes a five-year legal process and is expected to provide relief to consumers nationwide who were affected by Google’s business practices. Most of the funds from the settlement will go directly to people who made purchases on Google Play between August 2016 and September 2023. According to the announcement, most recipients will not need to fill out a claim form and will receive their payments through PayPal or Venmo. Consumers without access to these platforms can file claims through an alternative process.
“Google’s anticompetitive practices stifled competition at the expense of its customers,” said Attorney General Dana 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.”
As part of the agreement, Google must change 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. Additionally, Android users will be able to download apps from outside the Play Store for at least seven years.
Attorney General Nessel joined this effort alongside attorneys general from states including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia and many others across the country.
