Federal Court Orders Google Ad-Tech Breakup After Illegal Monopoly Ruling

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking to break up significant parts of Google's digital advertising business following federal court rulings that found the company illegally maintained monopolies in key ad tech markets, specifically its AdX ad exchange platform and DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) ad server. The DOJ's proposed remedies include forcing Google to divest these products and imposing a 10-year ban on the company from operating an ad exchange after the sale of AdX, aiming to restore competition and prevent future anticompetitive behavior. Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that Google willfully acquired and maintained monopoly power by locking out competitors through acquisitions and integrated control of ad buying and serving technologies, which harmed publishers and advertisers by reducing choices and inflating costs. Google has strongly opposed the DOJ's demands, arguing that the proposals exceed the court's findings, lack legal basis, and would ultimately harm publishers, advertisers, and internet users; instead, Google has offered to increase transparency and submit to court-monitored behavior for three years. This legal battle is part of broader antitrust scrutiny, which also includes efforts to separate Google's Chrome browser from its search engine. The outcomes could significantly reshape the digital advertising landscape and Google's dominance within it.