California Attorney General Rob Bonta highlighted a $700 million settlement with Google on Tuesday, presenting it as a strong signal that he is taking action against the tech giant for its alleged anticompetitive business practices.
Bonta, a Democrat and a potential candidate for governor in 2026, has been positioning himself as a watchdog overseeing Big Tech, a significant industry in the state.
He emphasized that his office aims to send a clear warning to Google and other “greedy corporations” that they cannot disregard antitrust laws. California Attorney General
During a news conference at his San Francisco office, California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “When you’re large and you have a lot of leverage and power, I think there’s a lot of temptation to use it to pad your profits and generate as much revenue as possible.” He went on to convey a stern message, saying, “To all corporations doing business in California, if you use your power to illegally bend the market … we’ll hold you accountable, we’ll see you in court.” Bonta’s remarks underscore his commitment to addressing anticompetitive practices and enforcing accountability within the business landscape.
Bonta didn’t lead the multi-state lawsuit over Google’s app store policies on Android devices, a case that was initiated shortly after he took office in 2021. The lawsuit included 36 state attorneys general and was led by Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, a Republican. It targeted Google for forcing app developers to pay a commission to use its app store.