Last week, we reported on the rumor that Google could be facing down a massive antitrust investigation headed up by "over half" of the United States' state attorneys general. It seems that information was accurate, as this investigation has been unveiled today.

As reported by The Washington Post, numerous state attorneys general (AG) announced the far-reaching investigation outside of the Supreme Court in Washington D.C. It's been confirmed that there will be an astounding 50 attorneys general (AG) participating in the probe. The team will be looking into Google's domination of the Internet advertising and search industries to determine whether or not it has engaged in any anti-competitive business practices.

However, it isn't just antitrust concerns that have sparked this review. As the Post notes, some AGs are concerned about how Google handles user data, and the way the tech giant "processes and ranks" search results.

While the probe wouldn't exist if regulators didn't have concerns about Google, Utah-based AG Sean Reyes says there's a "presumption" of innocence; at least until proof of any law-breaking practices comes to light. Google, for its part, reiterates that it will be fully cooperating with regulators during the coming months.

We'll keep you updated if this deep dive into Google's businesses practices turns up any important information, but we don't expect to see anything for a while. These sorts of investigations can take quite a while to resolve, and it'll usually take even longer for any potential penalties or fines to be discussed and meted out.

Image credit: Shutterstock, Bloomberg via The Washington Post