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Google Settles Lawsuits Ahead Of Antitrust Challenges

By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted March 6, 2024

Google has paid out around $1 billion settling lawsuits as it braces for bigger antitrust challenges.

In December, the tech behemoth paid $700 million to settle allegations around its Play Store's fee and term policies for app developers.

This was followed by a $350 million settlement over accusations of mishandling user privacy data.

Google recently resolved a lawsuit with Massachusetts-based Singular Computing, which accused Google of misappropriating chip designs.

Although details of the settlement are undisclosed, Singular announced a settlement and patent license agreement with Google.

Google is also nearing another settlement regarding claims that it misrepresented the Chrome browser's privacy settings.

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These settlements precede Google's forthcoming legal battles with the Department of Justice (DOJ), focusing on its search engine and advertising practices.

The DOJ alleges Google has unfairly dominated the search market and hindered competition in the ad tech industry.

Google denies these allegations, asserting its search engine fosters online competition, and its advertising technology supports publishers and businesses.

The tech giant has been clearing smaller cases, though it asserts this is not a strategic move for upcoming litigation.

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The company emphasizes settling cases when appropriate to avoid prolonged and uncertain legal processes.

One significant lawsuit involved Singular Computing, which claimed Google's tensor processing units infringed on its chip patents.

Despite Google's defense that its technology was independently developed, the case was settled, granting Singular a patent license.

Google has faced various legal challenges, including a high-profile case with Epic Games over app market competition.

It was also hit with a class-action lawsuit regarding Chrome's incognito mode's privacy claims.

The settlements aim to resolve disputes without admitting fault, maintaining Google's stance on the independent development and legality of its technologies.

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