In today’s digital age, online advertising is essential to reach potential customers.
Through its monopoly over general search on the internet, Google has become the gatekeeper to reaching consumers via search advertising. Organisations therefore (including the hundreds of thousands of UK-based businesses represented in this claim) effectively have no other option but to advertise their products and services on Google.
This claim argues that Google has abused its dominance in certain markets, including the general search market, which has allowed Google to shut out others from competing in the general search and search advertising markets, thereby allowing it to charge more for search advertisements than it would otherwise be able to in a competitive market.
Or Brook Class Representative Limited, solely owned and controlled by Dr Or Brook, a leading competition law expert and academic, is seeking compensation for all those who bought ads from Google to appear on its search pages, from 1 January 2011 to 15 April 2025. Damages owed to those who have been overcharged for Google search ads are estimated to be approximately £5 billion.
We argue that Google has been shutting out competition in the search advertising market through anti-competitive conduct, including:
By restricting competition in general search, Google has ensured that its own search platform is the only viable means of advertising to the vast majority of consumers, thereby ensuring its dominance in search advertising. The result of this is that Google has been able to charge advertisers more, while reducing the quality of the product which they receive.
Google’s anti-competitive practices in the search advertising market have been and continue to be scrutinised by courts and regulators in multiple jurisdictions, including in the US, the EU, and the UK.
Collective actions are commonly referred to as a ‘class action’, ‘group claim’ or ‘group action’. They are a type of court procedure in the UK that enable a class representative to bring a legal claim on behalf of a large number of claimants who have suffered loss as a result of a breach of competition law.
Collective actions empower consumers to hold large corporations to account and seek compensation for harm they have suffered. They are particularly useful in cases where pursuing individual claims would be impractical or financially unfeasible. By joining forces, consumers can strengthen their position and challenge powerful organisations more effectively.
A class refers to a group of individuals or organisations with similar legal claims against the same defendant, allowing them to bring a collective action. This typically occurs in cases where individual claims would be impractical or inefficient to pursue separately.
A class member is any individual or entity within this group who is represented in the legal action. Class members do not need to bring separate claims, as a representative claimant acts on behalf of the entire class.
Or Brook Class Representative Limited is the proposed class representative (“PCR”) to pursue the claim against Google on behalf of all class members (except those who decide to opt out) and represent the members of the class before the CAT. The PCR is also responsible for keeping class members informed and issuing formal notices, including updates and announcements via this website, email communications, and written notifications. As Dr Brook is the sole owner and controller of Or Book Class Representative Limited, she will be the person making the decisions in respect of this claim.
Have you ever wondered if Google’s dominance in search has limited your choices and cost you money? A major lawsuit is taking action, claiming that Google’s unfair practices have harmed UK businesses by restricting competition. If you’ve used Google Search, you could be entitled to compensation.
Register Your Interest