Google files to dismiss Ohio lawsuit to declare search engine a public utility

Google is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Ohio attorney general seeking to declare the company's search service a public utility. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R-OH) filed the lawsuit in June, arguing Google has used its dominance to prioritize its own products in a way that “intentionally disadvantages competitors.” Google’s lawyers argue in a court motion that the company does not meet the state’s requirements to be considered a common carrier. “Ohio’s Complaint mistakenly assumes Google Search is a common carrier or public utility because Ohioans choose to use Google Search. Under Ohio law, common carriers charge a fee to deliver a standardized service, and public utilities are regulated by a set of state regulations. Google has none of those attributes, and there is no basis in the law to conclude otherwise,” the motion states. “The whole point of Google Search is to provide results tailored to a specific query. Google Search is not shipping a commodity product, but constantly working to provide useful information in response to people’s unique queries."