Judge dismisses Penske Media and Chegg antitrust lawsuits over Google AI Overviews
On 30 September 2026, US District Judge Amit Mehta dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought by Penske Media and Chegg against Google over AI Overviews, the AI answers at the top of Google Search. The publishers said Google uses their content and sends them less traffic. The judge ruled they had only an expectation of traffic, not an agreement. Both orders are final and can be appealed.
The short version
- 01Judge Amit Mehta dismissed Penske Media's and Chegg's antitrust cases over Google AI Overviews on 30 September 2026.
- 02He said the publishers had only an expectation that Google would send them traffic, not an agreement.
- 03He said he does not take the publishers' harms lightly, but that any gap in the law is for Congress or regulators.
At a glance
| Court | US District Court for the District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| Judge | Amit Mehta |
| Cases | Chegg v. Google (25-cv-00543); Penske Media v. Google (25-cv-03192) |
| Decided | 30 September 2026 |
| Result | Motions to dismiss granted; Penske's without prejudice |
| State law claims | Not decided (court declined jurisdiction) |
| Appeal | Both orders are final and appealable |
What did the court decide about Google AI Overviews?
In a 41-page opinion filed on 30 September 2026, Judge Amit Mehta of the US District Court for the District of Columbia granted Google's motions to dismiss two antitrust lawsuits, one from Penske Media and one from the study help company Chegg.
Both said Google's AI Overviews, the AI-written answers at the top of search results, use their content and send them less traffic.
Why did Penske Media and Chegg lose?
The publishers argued that Google offers search traffic in exchange for their content. The judge disagreed: they had pleaded only an expectation that Google would send them traffic if they made their content free, and no agreement.
He also found that their other antitrust claims did not hold up as pleaded, and he declined to rule on their state law claims once the federal claims were gone.
But an expectation is not an agreement. It is simply how a general search engine works.
Judge Amit Mehta, 30 September 2026
Did the judge say publishers are being harmed?
He said he does not treat the alleged harms lightly and is not unsympathetic to publishers, journalists, educators and other online creators whose content Google takes and repurposes without compensation. But he said antitrust law is no substitute for lawmakers, and any gap is an issue for Congress or regulators to consider.
Can the publishers appeal?
Yes. Both orders say they are final and appealable. Penske's case was dismissed without prejudice. Reuters reported that Google, Penske Media and Chegg did not immediately comment.
Why does it matter?
AI answers at the top of search change where people click. Many websites say they lose visitors as a result. This ruling means antitrust law, at least in these cases, will not force Google to change AI Overviews.
What's next?
Watch for appeals, and for any move by Congress or regulators, which the judge said is where the question belongs.
Questions people ask
Who sued Google over AI Overviews?
Penske Media and Chegg, in separate antitrust lawsuits decided together by Judge Amit Mehta.
When were the lawsuits dismissed?
The opinion and orders were filed on 30 September 2026.
Does this mean AI Overviews are legal?
The court dismissed these antitrust claims as pleaded. It did not rule on the publishers' state law claims, and the orders can be appealed.
What did Google say?
Reuters reported that Google, Penske Media and Chegg did not immediately comment on the ruling.
Sources
- PrimaryUS District Court for D.C.: Memorandum Opinion, Chegg v. Google and Penske Media v. Google (30 Sep 2026)
- PrimaryOrder, Penske Media v. Google (30 Sep 2026)
- PrimaryOrder, Chegg v. Google (30 Sep 2026)
- CoverageThe Verge: Google AI Overviews lawsuits from Chegg and Penske dismissed (1 Oct 2026)
Why "Confirmed"? We label a story "Confirmed" when the company or government announced it itself. Spotted an error? Email hello@openloopnews.com and we will correct it.
