Claim about pay-per-click advertising is valid

Google can face justified claims about overcharging pay-per-click advertisers, a judge has ruled.
The case is long-running, dating back to 2011. A pay-per-click advertiser says Google has failed to deliver on its promise to discount certain ads and to geographically restrict ads. After an earlier rejection by a judge, because the plaintiff is no longer the owner of the injured company, another judge has now ruled on appeal that he may still start a lawsuit against Google.

No discount and location restriction

The plaintiff says he purchased pay-per-click advertising from Google between 2008 and 2009, and that Google failed to properly apply its smart pricing discount during that time. In addition, Google also allegedly charged him for clicks that came from states other than the state in which he lived. He focused on Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana, but claimed he was charged for clicks from users in New York, Virginia, California, Illinois, Texas and other states, according to court documents.
Google said its agreement with advertisers did not include a specific "smart pricing" formula, and its "Help Center" stated that ads could be shown to users regardless of their location.
If the plaintiff wins this case, Google can undoubtedly face even more lawsuits from advertisers who believe that Google has charged excessive or unjustified fees.