US judge must release Google in class action – 08/28/2023 – Tech

A US judge plans to clear Google of having to defend itself in a class-action lawsuit by 21 million consumers, who accuse the company of violating federal antitrust law by overcharging the Google Play app store.

This Monday’s decision (28) by District Magistrate James Donato, of San Francisco, could significantly reduce the damages that Google may have to pay due to the distribution of mobile applications for the Android system.

Consumers argue that they would pay less for apps and have more options if it weren’t for a monopoly by Google, which denies the allegations.

Donato said the November 2022 class-action filing should be dismissed because another decision by him — also announced on Monday — not to let an economist testify as an expert witness for consumers eliminated “an essential element” of the group’s argument. .

The judge said he couldn’t dismiss the lawsuit immediately because Google was appealing the November lawsuit. He asked company and consumer lawyers to try to reach a settlement before a hearing scheduled for Sept. 7.

The class action includes consumers from 12 states and five US territories, who were not part of a similar case against Google brought by attorneys general in several states.