AG Hawley serves second subpoena in Google investigation

By Jasmine Adams | July 25, 2018 at 3:28 PM CDT - Updated August 23 at 4:15 PM

MISSOURI (KFVS) - The investigation into Google by Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley just got another layer.

Hawley announced on July 25 that his office served a new subpoena on the tech giant to continue the investigation into the company's business practices.

This new subpoena relates t allegations that the company took improper steps to enhance its market power according to the Attorney General's office.

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Google was given a $1.5 billion fine for its conduct in the European Union.

The European Commission imposed the fine after finding that Google had improperly required mobile-device manufacturers to pre-install Google's search application and web browser as a condition to access many Android applications; that Google had offered certain financial inducements to device manufacturers in exchange for declining to pre-install competing search applications; and other conduct aimed at strengthening Google's power in the markets for search engines and mobile-device operating systems.

Hawley released the following statement:

"If the European Commission's allegations are true, Google's conduct may have violated both federal and state antitrust laws," Hawley said. "Google's alleged conduct does not merely undermine free and efficient markets; it undermines fundamental consumer privacy interests by excluding companies that would compete with Google by providing greater protections for users' personal information."