Judge Cites DOJ Case as Critical Precedent
In a crucial connection, the court found that Yelp’s case aligns closely with the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust suit against Google, which established the company’s monopoly power in the general search market.
Judge van Keulen ruled that the DOJ’s findings allow Yelp to invoke a statute of limitations exception, enabling claims based on conduct as far back as 2016. “Although this is a close case,” the judge wrote, “Yelp has shown a real relation between its case and the government’s — an identical antitrust market serves as the foundation.”
Allegations of “Continuing Violations” Through Design Changes
The court also highlighted Yelp’s new evidence of continuing violations, including major design changes to Google’s OneBox in 2016 and 2017 that boosted “zero-click” searches. Yelp further alleged that Google’s 2021 “mega-map” redesign and 2024 AI Overviews continue the pattern by embedding local content directly in search results, effectively trapping users within Google’s own ecosystem.
Judge van Keulen noted that these changes are “just as applicable” to AI Overviews as to OneBox, allowing Yelp’s claims to advance under the continuing violation doctrine.
