Reuters: Seven states may sue Google in coming ‘weeks’: NY AG . “Seven additional states may file a separate antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc’s Google in the coming weeks, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Tuesday.”
Attorneys General
Politico: No Democrats expected to join Trump’s DOJ in suing Google
Politico: No Democrats expected to join Trump’s DOJ in suing Google. “The Justice Department is likely to file its long-awaited antitrust suit against Google early next week, but without the sign-on of any Democratic attorneys general, four people familiar with the case said Friday — upending the Trump administration’s hopes to enlist bipartisan support for its fight against the internet giant.”
BloombergQuint: Texas Bombshell on Bribe Claims Threatens States’ Google Probe
BloombergQuint: Texas Bombshell on Bribe Claims Threatens States’ Google Probe. “The multistate investigation of Alphabet Inc.’s Google is at risk of splintering further after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is leading the probe, was accused by his senior aides of potential crimes, including bribery.”
Reuters: U.S. expected to sue Google next week as DOJ seeks support from states
Reuters: U.S. expected to sue Google next week as DOJ seeks support from states. “The U.S. Justice Department is expected to sue Alphabet’s Google as soon as next week, and is currently urging state attorneys general to sign onto the lawsuit, according to three sources familiar with the process.”
BNN Bloomberg: U.S. Google Antitrust Case Set to Expand With GOP States Joining
BNN Bloomberg: U.S. Google Antitrust Case Set to Expand With GOP States Joining. “About a dozen states, mostly led by Republicans, are expected to join the Justice Department’s upcoming antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.’s Google, according to people familiar with the investigation.”
Reuters: Four state attorneys general back Trump on social media regulation push
Reuters: Four state attorneys general back Trump on social media regulation push. “Four Republican state attorneys general led by Texas backed President Donald Trump’s push to narrow the ability of social media companies to remove objectionable content and require new transparency rules.”
CNET: Twenty state AGs press Facebook to do more to combat hate speech
CNET: Twenty state AGs press Facebook to do more to combat hate speech. “In a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg on Wednesday, the AGs said they believed the company had ‘fallen short’ on its civil rights record and urged the company to ‘aggressively enforce’ its policies prohibiting hate speech and hate-based organizations. Other steps the AGs’ letter suggested Facebook take include allowing public, third-party audits of hate content and enforcement, as well as expanding its policies on limiting ads that disparage minorities.”
Justice Dept, state AGs to meet Friday on Google antitrust probe: source (Reuters)
Reuters: Justice Dept, state AGs to meet Friday on Google antitrust probe: source . “U.S. Justice Department officials and some state attorneys general are set to meet on Friday to discuss ongoing antitrust probes into Alphabet Inc’s Google unit, a person briefed on the matter said.”
Washington State Attorney General: AG Ferguson Challenges Department Of Education Decision Blocking Coronavirus Aid For Thousands Of Washington Students
Washington State Attorney General: AG Ferguson Challenges Department Of Education Decision Blocking Coronavirus Aid For Thousands Of Washington Students. “Attorney General Bob Ferguson today challenged a U.S. Department of Education decision that deprives thousands of Washington college students from receiving critical aid included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security (CARES) Act. Under its Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, the CARES Act appropriated more than $12 billion to higher education institutions across the nation to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act required that at least 50 percent of the funds be disbursed to students as emergency grants for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations.”
Justice Department, state attorneys general poised to hit Google with antitrust lawsuits: report (MarketWatch)
MarketWatch: Justice Department, state attorneys general poised to hit Google with antitrust lawsuits: report. “The Justice Department and a group of state attorneys general may file antitrust lawsuits against Alphabet Inc.’s Google as soon as this summer, according to a Wall Street Journal report that published Friday afternoon and cited people familiar with the matter.”
New York Times: New York Attorney General Scrutinizes Amazon for Firing Warehouse Worker
New York Times: New York Attorney General Scrutinizes Amazon for Firing Warehouse Worker. “Amazon may have violated federal worker safety laws and New York State’s whistle-blower protections when it fired an employee from its Staten Island warehouse who protested the company’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a letter the office of the New York attorney general, Letitia James, sent the company last week.”
Reuters: Washington AG sues Facebook over political ads
Reuters: Washington AG sues Facebook over political ads. “Washington state’s attorney general filed a second lawsuit against Facebook Inc FB.O over political ads on Tuesday, saying the social media giant once again failed to make disclosures required under the state’s campaign finance laws. Facebook already paid $238,000 in 2018 to resolve a previous dispute over political advertising in Washington state.”
CNET: Put a stop to coronavirus price gouging, state AGs tell Amazon, Facebook and others
CNET: Put a stop to coronavirus price gouging, state AGs tell Amazon, Facebook and others. “Thirty-four state attorneys general are calling on companies like Amazon, Craigslist, Facebook, eBay and Walmart to take a harder stance of price gouging in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The letters to each company cite specific examples, like a Craigslist ad for a 2-liter bottle of Purell Advanced hand sanitizer with a $250 price tag. While the attorneys general acknowledge that these companies have taken steps toward curtailing price gouging, the latter calls for further action.”
CNBC: Google reaches a settlement with state AGs after contesting consultants in antitrust probe
CNBC: Google reaches a settlement with state AGs after contesting consultants in antitrust probe. “The settlement means that potential roadblocks to the states’ probe may be cleared for now, allowing the attorneys general to continue digging into Google’s business. A delay to the investigation could hinder the states’ ability to uncover important information about Google’s competitive practices.”
New York Times: Google Reaches Document Protection Deal in Antitrust Fight
New York Times: Google Reaches Document Protection Deal in Antitrust Fight. “Google reached an agreement with a group of state attorneys general on Thursday over how officials will handle information it provides during their antitrust investigation into the company. Settling an early dispute in the case, the agreement requires the states to protect confidential information provided by Google and governs how it can be shared, according to a copy reviewed by The New York Times.”