US Justice Department Seeks Google Ad Tech Breakup to Restore Competition

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is pursuing legal action to force Google to divest its AdX advertising exchange platform, alleging that Google holds an illegal monopoly in digital advertising by linking its AdX with its publisher ad server, DFP, to the detriment of competition. Judge Leonie Brinkema, who previously ruled that Google monopolized ad tech markets, is presiding over the remedies trial expected to last about two weeks, where testimony from publishers, advertisers, and experts will inform whether Google must sell AdX or take other structural remedies. Google argues that divestiture is excessive, impracticable, and harmful to the market, proposing instead transparency measures and data portability commitments as alternatives. Publishers and industry observers express frustration, noting that even if remedies occur, they may come too late to mitigate the damage caused by Google's dominance and emerging challenges like AI-driven changes in web traffic. The DOJ also seeks to make the auction system open source to clarify how winners are chosen, while Google warns that forced changes could grant the government excessive control over a major technology platform. This case follows a prior ruling allowing Google to retain its Chrome browser despite DOJ demands, highlighting the ongoing tension between regulatory efforts and Google's integrated ecosystem.