UK-based online mapping firm Streetmap has sued Google, claiming that the search giant is misusing its dominant position in the online search market.
Streetmap filed a complaint against Google in the UK’s High Court claiming that the Google’s anti-competitive practice has made its products harder to find.
Streetmap commercial director Kate Sutton said: "We have had to take this action in an effort to protect our business and attract attention to those that, like us, have started their own technology businesses, only to find them damaged by Google’s cynical manipulation of search results."
"This is about choice and about Google’s refusal to provide end users with a choice or to compete on fair reasonable and non discriminatory terms with smaller competitors."
Last year, Google was sued by the UK shopping comparison website Foundem for the search engine firm’s alleged anti-competitive conduct and is seeking damages for its revenue lost.
In February 2011, French Internet firm 1plusV filed an antitrust complaint against Google for allegedly abusing its dominant market position.
Google has submitted a package of concessions to the European Union (EU) in a bid to to resolve the two-year long antitrust investigation to avoid a possible fine.
