US: A US judge has delivered a significant antitrust setback to Google, ruling that the company unlawfully monopolizes the online advertising technology space- a decision that could reshape the digital advertising landscape.
The ruling marks the second major antitrust defeat for the tech giant in less than a year, intensifying regulatory scrutiny on one of the world’s most powerful companies.
The decision came as part of a case brought by the US Department of Justice in collaboration with 17 states, which accused Google of unlawfully monopolizing key technologies that determine how digital ads are placed, displayed, and monetized across the internet.
US District Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that the company “willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts” that allowed it to acquire and retain dominance in the digital ad space.
“This exclusionary conduct substantially harmed Google’s publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web,” Judge Brinkema stated in her verdict.
Google immediately announced plans to appeal the ruling. Despite Google’s assertion that its acquisitions and advertising tools did not harm competition, the court disagreed, calling its conduct detrimental to both industry players and consumers.
The case will now move into a “remedies” phase, where structural solutions-including the possible breakup of Google’s ad tech business or even divestiture of parts of parent company Alphabet will be considered.
This next stage could result in Alphabet being required to spin off key business units, such as its Chrome browser or advertising platforms.
The decision follows a separate ruling in 2023, in which Google was found to have a monopoly in online search.
