DELAWARE, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed an appeal after a Delaware County judge dismissed his groundbreaking lawsuit seeking to classify Google as a common carrier and public utility.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2021, argues that Google unfairly uses its control over search results to prioritize its own products and services, placing competitors at a disadvantage. Yost contends that such dominance undermines fairness in the digital marketplace.
“Ohioans deserve fairness in the digital marketplace,” Yost said Monday. “When one company has the power to stack the deck, it hurts consumers, innovation, and free competition. This appeal is about standing up for Ohioans and consumers everywhere.”
On Aug. 15, Judge James Shuck of Delaware County Common Pleas Court dismissed the state’s case, ruling against the argument that Google should be legally considered a common carrier.
The appeal, filed Monday, moves the case to the Fifth District Court of Appeals for further review.
Yost’s lawsuit was the first of its kind in the nation, seeking to hold the tech giant to standards of neutrality and transparency similar to those applied to utilities and telecommunications providers.
