Google is facing a massive £7 billion (around $8.8 billion) class action lawsuit in the UK, accusing the tech giant of harming consumers by abusing its dominance in search. The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled on Friday that the case can move forward, adding to the growing number of legal conflicts Google has to confront worldwide.

The class action case was initially filed in September 2023 by consumer rights advocate Nikki Stopford, alleging that Google's anticompetitive practices made it more expensive for companies to advertise on the platform, leading to higher prices for millions of consumers across the UK. The lawsuit argues that Google "forced" Android phone makers to ship their phones with Google Search and Google Chrome, something the European Union has already gone after Google for.

The lawsuit also claims that Google paid Apple "billions" to make Google the default search engine on Safari — an issue that figured prominently in a recent ruling against Google in the US. Google had asked a London tribunal to toss out the lawsuit in September, but the CAT unanimously agreed that it should proceed. "Google continues to rig the search-engine market to charge advertisers more, which raises the prices they charge consumers," Stopford said in a statement.

This UK legal action seeks to promote healthier competition in digital markets and to hold Google accountable. The lawsuit is just one of several legal challenges Google is currently facing. The tech giant is also the subject of a lawsuit from the US Department of Justice that could force Google to sell Chrome. Additionally, Google is facing legal trouble from Epic Games, Yelp, and the DOJ over its advertising technology.

In a recent development, Google lost an appeal to get around a $2.7 billion antitrust fine in the EU. The growing number of legal issues facing Google raises questions about the company's business practices and its impact on consumers. As the UK lawsuit moves forward, it will be interesting to see how Google responds to these allegations and what implications this may have for the tech industry as a whole.

The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for the digital market and consumers in the UK. If Google is found to have abused its dominance, it could lead to changes in the way the company operates and potentially even break up its monopoly on search. The lawsuit also highlights the need for greater regulation and oversight of big tech companies to ensure they are operating in a fair and competitive manner.

As the tech industry continues to evolve, it is clear that companies like Google will face increasing scrutiny over their business practices. This lawsuit is just one example of the growing pushback against big tech and its dominance over various markets. It will be important to watch how this case unfolds and what impact it may have on the tech industry in the years to come.