Gonzales vs Google – How Your Brand Might Be Impacted

As a tech giant, Google is literally shaping the future of internet policy and law. 

Google has more than 900 team members in their legal department, taking their place “at the forefront of legislative and policy changes so that we can lead the industry in protecting our users’ data.“

So you probably wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Google gets sued. A lot. 

But one case sticks out – Gonzales vs. Google. 

The Gonzales v. Google case refers to a legal case that was filed against Google by the state of Mississippi in 2020 by the family of Nohemi Gonzalez, a 23-year-old American woman who was killed in a 2015 ISIS attack in Paris while she was studying there. 

The Gonzales family’s lawsuit alleges that Google violated the state’s consumer protection laws by engaging in anticompetitve practices that favored it’s own services and products over those of competitors in the digital advertising market. Their lawsuit also alleges that Google, which owns YouTube, violated the Antiterrorism Act’s ban on aiding and abetting terrorism by (among other things) recommending ISIS videos to users through its algorithms, thereby aiding ISIS’s recruitment

The case focuses primarily on Section 230(c)(1) of the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 shields online platforms from liability for the content posted by their users, to promote free speech online and encourage the growth of the internet by protecting websites from being held liable for user generated content.

While the case is still ongoing and its outcome remains uncertain, it could potentially have significant implications for the digital marketing industry. Here are a few possible ways that the Gonzales v. Google case could impact digital marketing:

#1 Increased scrutiny of tech giants:

The Gonzales v. Google case is just one of many recent legal actions and investigations into the practices of tech giants such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon. If the case is successful, it could lead to more scrutiny of these companies’ practices, which could have implications for how marketers approach digital advertising.

#2 Changes to ad targeting and personalization:

One of the issues at the heart of the Gonzales v. Google case is the way that Google allegedly used its dominant position in the digital advertising market to favor its own products and services. If the case leads to changes in the way that Google and other companies are able to target and personalize ads, this could impact how effective certain types of digital marketing campaigns are.

If Google is forced to change its practices in a way that reduces its revenue from digital advertising, this could lead to higher costs for digital marketers who rely on Google’s advertising platforms. Alternatively, if Google’s competitors gain market share as a result of the case, they may be able to charge higher prices for their services.

#3 Increased competition:

One possible outcome of the Gonzales v. Google case is that it could lead to increased competition in the digital advertising market. If Google is forced to change its practices, this could open up opportunities for smaller players to gain market share, which could actually benefit marketers by offering them more options and potentially lower costs.

Overall, it’s difficult to predict exactly how the Gonzales v. Google case will impact digital marketing. However, it is clear that the case has the potential to shape the future of the digital advertising industry and how marketers approach their campaigns.

The case is expected to reach a decision by early summer. Follow us to stay tuned for more updates!