The Justice Department has taken early steps toward opening a federal antitrust investigation into Google, according to three people familiar with the matter, marking a new chapter in the tech giant's war with regulators around the world who contend the company is too large and threatens rivals and consumers.
The move thrusts Google back under the regulatory microscope in the United States roughly six years after another federal agency probed the search and advertising behemoth on grounds that it's business practices threatened competitors -- through the government spared the company from major punishments.
The DOJ's antitrust division, led by Makan Delrahim, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Google declined to comment. The news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The exact focus of the DOJ's investigation is unclear. The DOJ began work on the matter after brokering an agreement with the government's other antitrust agency, the Federal Trade Commission, to take the lead on antitrust oversight of Google, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deliberations are confidential. The FTC did not respond to requests for comment.
