Google's Pichai and Brin to be questioned in digital ads antitrust lawsuit

In a recent development, U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan of Sherman, Texas has ruled that Google CEO Sundar Pichai and co-founder Sergey Brin must undergo questioning in an antitrust lawsuit filed by Texas and other states against Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company. The lawsuit alleges that Google abused its dominant position in the digital advertising market with Judge Jordan's decision, issued on Friday, mandating that both Pichai and Brin cannot avoid being deposed in the case.

The judge justified his ruling by stating that the states involved have pinpointed specific issues related to major corporate acquisitions, meetings, and policies that are crucial to the lawsuit's core issues. Texas and other plaintiffs claim that Google engaged in monopolistic practices within the display ads sector, resulting in inflated costs for users. Additionally, they accuse Google of deceptive trade practices.

Google, along with the Texas attorney general’s office, did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the judge's decision. The tech giant had previously contested the proposed depositions, arguing that Pichai and Brin, particularly since Brin now serves on Google's board, possess no unique or pertinent personal information relevant to the states' legal challenge.

The company has denied all allegations put forth by the states in their 2020 lawsuit, which is currently in pending dismissal. The depositions of Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai are set to be limited in duration, with Brin's session capped at two and a half hours and Pichai's at four hours.

Among the topics the states wish to explore during the depositions, some of them include, Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick in 2008, which they assert was a pivotal move in consolidating Google's influence in ad server tools. They also aim to question Pichai about a significant advertising market deal struck with Facebook in 2018. Additionally, there are concerns about Google's internal communication retention policies, with the states emphasizing the importance of ensuring all relevant evidence is preserved.

In arguing for the depositions, the states asserted that any inconvenience imposed on Brin and Pichai is justified by the high stakes involved in the litigation. The trial is currently scheduled for March 2025 and is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas under the case name State of Texas et al v. Google LLC, No. 4:20-cv-00957-SDJ.