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December 19, 2023

Attorneys general from across U.S., including CT, reach $700M settlement with Google for alleged misconduct with Play Store

FILE IMAGE: YEHYUN KIM, CTMIRROR.ORG Attorney General William Tong.
By Andrew Larson

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and a group of 52 other attorneys general on Tuesday reached a $700 million settlement in their lawsuit concerning Google’s alleged anti-competitive behavior with its Google Play product.

Google Play is a platform for downloading free and paid apps on mobile devices. 

The attorneys general sued Google in 2021, claiming that Google unlawfully monopolized the Android app distribution market, and with in-app payment processing.  

Those anti-competitive behaviors included signing contracts that prevented other apps stores from being preloaded on Google devices, buying key app developers that might have launched rival app stores and creating technological barriers to deter consumers from directly downloading apps to their devices, according to Tong’s announcement.  

“Today’s settlement is a loud and clear message to Big Tech — attorneys general across the country are unified, and we are prepared to use the full weight of our collective authority to ensure free and fair access to the digital marketplace,” Tong said Tuesday.

Tong said Google “lured developers to its Android platform with promises of an open source marketplace.” 

“They broke that promise,” Tong said. “As soon as they amassed a customer base, Google deployed unfair and unlawful restraints and restrictions that locked out competition and forced use of their own products.”

Tong said the settlement will result in money being sent back to consumers. It also requires Google to make reforms to “restore fair competition to the Google Play marketplace.” 

Google will pay $630 million in restitution, minus costs and fees, to Google Play Store customers who used the platform between August 2016 and September 2023, and were harmed by Google’s practices.  

People eligible for restitution will receive automatic payments through PayPal or Venmo. They do not need to submit a claim. More details will be released, according to Tong’s office.

 Read the settlement below:

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