Prosecutors from almost 50 US states have launched an anti-trust investigation into Google - accusing the tech giant of unfair practices.

Speaking to reporters in front of the Supreme Court in Washington DC with a dozen other prosecutors, Texas attorney general Bill Paxton insisted the probe would follow the evidence.

“Facts will lead where the facts will lead,” he said, according to Politico.

His counterpart from Washington DC, Karl Racine, who is a Democrat, said prosecutors from across the political spectrum were “acting as one” despite their differences on other issues such as immigration and health care.

Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct Show all 15 1 /15 Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct New York, US Google employees hold signs outside 14th street park after walking out as part of a global protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct Dublin, Ireland Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world PA Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct London, Britain Google staff stage a walkout at the company's UK headquarters in London AFP/Getty Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct New York, US A workers holds a sign outside 14th street park after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues in New York, U.S., November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon JEENAH MOON Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct Zurich, Switzerland People gather next to the Google office to attend the Google Walkout in Zurich Googlewalkout/Tedonprivacy/Twitter/Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct New York, US Google employees stage a walkout on November 1, 2018, in New York, over sexual harassment. - A Google Walkout For Real Change account that sprang up on Twitter on October 31 called for employees and contractors to leave their workplaces at 11:10am local time around the world on Thursday. Tension has been growing over how the US-based tech giant handles sexual harassment claims. (Photo by Bryan R. Smith / AFP)BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images BRYAN R. SMITH AFP/Getty Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct Dublin, Ireland Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world walking out of their offices in protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday November 1, 2018. See PA story TECHNOLOGY Google. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct New York, US Google employees stage a walkout on November 1, 2018, in New York, over sexual harassment. - A Google Walkout For Real Change account that sprang up on Twitter on October 31 called for employees and contractors to leave their workplaces at 11:10am local time around the world on Thursday. Tension has been growing over how the US-based tech giant handles sexual harassment claims. (Photo by Bryan R. Smith / AFP)BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images BRYAN R. SMITH Getty Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct Dublin, Ireland Workers stand outside Google's European headquarters after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues, in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne CLODAGH KILCOYNE Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct New York, US A worker holds a sign outside the Google offices after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues, in New York, U.S., November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon JEENAH MOON Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct Dublin, Ireland Workers stand outside the Google offices after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne CLODAGH KILCOYNE Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct New York, US Workers stand outside 14th street park after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues in New York, U.S., November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon JEENAH MOON Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct Dublin, Ireland A man wearing a Google slogan T-shirt hands out doughnuts to workers standing outside Google's European headquarters Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct New York, US Workers leave outside 14th street park after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues in New York, U.S., November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon JEENAH MOON Reuters Google staff stage walkout over handling of sexual misconduct London, Britain Google staff stage a walkout at the company's UK headquarters in London AFP/Getty

The probe into Google comes as big technology companies are coming under unprecedented scrutiny for the huge impact they have on so many aspects of life, and the vast sums they earn as they eat up small competitors.

A separate investigation was launched last week into Facebook.

What has been noticeable is that the concern among elected officials, as well as activists and campaigners, spreads across the political divide.

On Monday, the prosecutors formally requested documents from Google on its advertising business. They said they could expand their work to look into other issues such as data privacy.

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Utah attorney general Sean Reyes said the probe was “for the benefit of the tech ecosystem to help level the playing field”.

Google specifically has faced accusations that its web search service leads consumers to its own products at the cost of competitors. There have also been complaints of potentially anti-competitive behaviour in how it runs the advertising side of its business.

Google said in a statement on Friday that it would work constructively with them. It had no further comment on Monday. Its shares were down 0.6 per cent in late trading.

Senator Josh Hawley, who as Missouri attorney general opened a Google probe in 2017, lauded the announcement on Monday as “a very big day for the folks who care about antitrust enforcement”.

“I hope that Congress will get serious about acting. And I hope the United States Senate will lead the way there,” he said.

He tweeted: “It's going to be a very bad day for Google.”

Facebook, which is also under the spotlight, has faced criticism for being slow to clamp down on hate speech, and it recently paid a $5 billion settlement for sharing 87 million users' data with the now-defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The consultancy's clients included Mr Trump's 2016 election campaign.

On the federal level, the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission are probing Facebook, Google, Apple and Amazon, also for potential violations of antitrust law.