Google has agreed to pay $700 million and to allow more competition in its Play app store, according to the terms of an antitrust settlement with US states and consumers filed in federal court on Monday.
In separate complaints, the Justice Department and dozens of states accused Google in 2020 of abusing its dominance in online search by allegedly harming competition through deals with wireless carriers and smartphone makers that made Google Search the default or exclusive option on products used by millions of consumers. The complaints eventually consolidated into a single case.
“Today, the details of a settlement reached in September with state attorneys general were filed publicly,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement Monday.
According to the settlement and company statement: “Google will pay $630 million into a settlement fund to be distributed for the benefit of consumers according to a Court-approved plan.” Another $70 million will be paid into a fund to be used by the states, according to the settlement filed in a San Francisco federal court.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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