HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced a $700 million agreement reached between state attorneys general and Google for anticompetitive practices related to its app store. Affected consumers will receive 90 percent of the settlement funds while the State of Montana will receive nearly $275,000. 

Attorneys general from all 50 states and U.S. territories sued Google in 2021 for unlawfully monopolizing the market of Android app distribution and in-app payment processing in the Google App Store. Google secured unfair marketplace power by signing anticompetitive contracts that prevent other app stores from being preloaded on Android devices, paying key app developers not to launch products on rival app stores, and creating technological barriers to deter consumers from directly downloading apps to their devices.  

Google agreed to pay $630 million of the settlement to consumers who were harmed by the company’s anticompetitive actions. The remaining 10 percent will be paid to the states, with an initially estimated $274,400 to Montana. Under the agreement, the technology giant must show improved business practices, as well as a reduction of its monopoly over other tech companies and consumers.  

To read the full settlement, click here. 

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