Google Sued by 36 States Over Alleged Play Store Abuses
- Attorneys general claim illegal monopoly over app distribution
- Google is already fighting lawsuits over search, digital ads
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Alphabet Inc.’s Google was sued by three dozen states alleging that the company illegally abused its power over the sale and distribution of apps through the Google Play store on mobile devices.
State attorneys general said in a complaint filed Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco that Google used anticompetitive tactics to thwart competition and ensure that developers have no choice but to go through the Google Play store to reach users. It then collects an “extravagant” commission of up to 30% on app purchases, the states said.