Google is being sued by user-generated review app Yelp

Search engine giant Google has been hit with an antitrust lawsuit by Yelp- an app that has become a major source of user-generated reviews and ratings for businesses.

The American company claims in its lawsuit that Google has dominated local search and prioritized its reviews by using its power over online search.

“Google abused its monopoly power in general search to keep users within Google’s ecosystem and prevent them from visiting competing sites,” Yelp co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman said in a statement. blog post announced the lawsuit.

“This anticompetitive behavior siphons traffic and advertising revenue from vertical search services, like Yelp, that provide high-quality, objective local business content to consumers.”

READ ALSO: MARKET MONOPOLY: Google moves to appeal ruling in massive antitrust case

The US action may become more significant in light of a Justice Department case in which a judge declared Google a search monopoly, the report said.

In response to Yelp’s lawsuit, a Google spokesperson told Engadget that the claims are not new as a similar complaint was filed several years ago by the FTC.

“Yelp’s claims are not new. Similar claims were made several years ago by FTCand recently by judge in the DOJ case. Regarding the other aspects of the decision cited by Yelp, we are appealing. Google will vigorously defend itself against Yelp’s baseless claims.”

Google hit with antitrust lawsuit filed by user-generated review app Yelp first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.