Core Viewpoint - Google is facing a £5 billion ($6.6 billion) legal claim in the UK from approximately 250,000 businesses, alleging overcharging for online advertising and abuse of its dominant market position [2][3]. Group 1: Legal Claims and Allegations - The law firm Geradin Partners has filed the claim with Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal, asserting that Google has engaged in monopolistic practices to exclude competitors from the search and search advertising markets [2]. - The claim is based on Google's conduct since 2011, which is said to have led to billions of pounds in overcharges for UK advertisers [3]. - This lawsuit is the first of its kind in the UK aimed specifically at compensating businesses for inflated advertising costs on Google [4]. Group 2: Ongoing Investigations and Regulatory Scrutiny - The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Google's dominance in the search-engine market, which may result in the company being designated "strategic market status" under new UK regulations [7]. - A similar class action lawsuit was filed in 2023, seeking £7 billion in compensation for consumers, indicating a broader concern over Google's pricing practices [4]. - Last year, a £13.6 billion claim was also filed against Google for alleged anti-competitive behavior in digital advertising [4].