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WASHINGTON, D.C.–Google is being investigated by Indiana’s attorney general and the AGs of 49 other states. They want to see if Google is unfairly controlling internet traffic by suppressing competition from other search engines.

“Just like individual citizens, corporations must be held accountable for following the law,” said Hill in a prepared statement.  “In this instance, we must recognize that stifling free and fair competition is an activity that causes real harm to real people.”

Hill joined other attorneys general for a press conference in Washington, D.C., Monday, led by Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton.

The bipartisan coalition will investigate Google’s control of online advertising markets and search traffic, which may have involved anticompetitive behavior, said a news release. Legal experts from each state will work in cooperation with federal authorities to assess competitive conditions for online services and ensure that Americans have access to free digital markets.

“While many consumers believe that the internet is free, certainly we know from Google’s profits of $117 billion, that the internet is not free and that this is a company that dominates all aspects of advertising on the internet and searching on the internet,” said Paxton.  

“As they dominate the buyer side, the seller side, the auction side and even the video side with YouTube,” said Paxton. 

“We certainly want to make sure that the internet has competition and more importantly, we want to make sure that we’re preserving innovation, the innovation that many small technical companies provide us on a regular basis,” said Hill at the news conference.

Hill said he believes the investigation will be fair.

“If Google has gained its advantages in the marketplace through free and fair competition, then let the chips fall where they will,” he said. “If, however, the facts uncovered in this investigation lead us to other conclusions, then we must pursue appropriate follow-up actions to protect the free market.”

PHOTO: Chris Davis/Emmis