UK website loses High Court action over Google Maps

A UK-based website has lost its High Court action in which it accused Google of abusing its "dominant position" in the online search market by "driving traffic" from rivals to Google Maps.

Streetmap.EU Ltd said the introduction of a new "big map" service by Google in 2007 was followed by a "dramatic loss of traffic" to its website.

Streetmap, which launched its online mapping services in 1997, asked Mr Justice Roth to rule that Google had engaged in "anti-competitive conduct" contrary to provisions of the Competition Act 1998.

But the judge ruled that the introduction by Google of the new-style Maps OneBox in 2007 was "not reasonably likely appreciably to affect competition in the market for online maps".

The judge added that, in any event, Google's conduct was "objectively justified".