Kansas is part of a multistate investigation of tech giant Google’s business practices in accordance with state and federal antitrust laws. Attorney General Derek Schmidt says his office is one of 50 state and territory attorneys general participating in the joint investigation into whether Google’s overarching control of online advertising markets and search traffic may have led to anticompetitive behavior that harms consumers.

Past investigations of Google uncovered violations ranging from advertising illegal drugs in the United States to antitrust actions brought by the European Commission. None of these previous investigations, however, fully addresses the source of Google’s sustained market power and its ability to protect and maintain that power.