Google about to get slapped with an antitrust probe by U.S. state officials

More than half the country's State Attorneys general are said to be ready to begin processes next week.

What you need to know

• Approximately 30 attorney generals have signed on to an antitrust probe aimed at Google.
• The investigation is expected to be announced on Monday.
• It's still unknown whether other tech giants like Amazon or Facebook will also see antitrust scrutiny.

The Washington Post is reporting an antitrust investigation into Google's actions expected to be announced at a news conference on Monday in Washington. This is part of a coalition of states that are questioning whether tech giants are breaking antitrust laws.

Recently, the federal government, headed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), launched a national investigation into antitrust actions against Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. This new information is on a state level, allowing states to independently seek answers to their questions about whether tech companies should have the overarching influence regulators fear may be used to sway opinion.

Outside of the nation's capital, however, state officials also have started questioning the growing influence of big tech. Attorneys general in multiple states have threatened that competition probes could be on the horizon...

According to the Washington Post, states like Louisiana and Mississippi have already been grilling Google for how it surfaces search results, while Texas officials say that Google may be violating state laws if they're proven to have a bias at Google that results in censorship of conservative viewpoints.

Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda has responded publicly in a statement to questions about whether its algorithm search query offers up bias results.

Google's services help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country. We continue to work constructively with regulators, including attorneys general, in answering questions about our business and the dynamic technology sector.

There is no information at this time as to which of the "more than 30" state attorneys general are joining in this coalition or whether any other tech giants will be put under the microscope on Monday.

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