Federal Judge Rules Google Illegally Maintained Ad Tech Monopoly, Orders Potential Breakup
A federal judge found Google upheld a monopoly in online ad tech and outlined remedies, including a possible break up of portions of its business.
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Despite that rebuke, Brinkema also concluded that Google didn't break the law when it snapped Doubleclick nor when it followed up that deal a few years later by buying another service, Admeld.
Google's digital ad network an illegal monopoly, federal judge rules
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The company is leaning into the fact that not all of the plaintiff’s claims stand up in court.
Google Is Once Again Deemed a Monopoly, This Time in Ad Tech
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Google used classic monopoly-building tactics of eliminating competitors through acquisitions, locking customers into using its products, and controlling how transactions occurred in the online ad market, prosecutors said at the trial.
US Judge Finds Google Illegally Monopolized Ad Tech Market
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These lawsuits are part of a move by regulators to scale back Big Tech’s influence over digital markets, commerce and communication.
Judge rules Google violated antitrust law, ad empire may be restructured
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Although antitrust regulators prevailed both times, the battle is likely to continue for several more years as Google tries to overturn the two monopoly decisions in appeals while forging ahead in the new and highly lucrative technological frontier of artificial intelligence.
Judge rules Google's digital ad network an illegal monopoly, joins search engine in penalty box
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Google's large ecosystem of businesses has been under the microscope in recent years.
Google's Ad Business Is a Monopoly, US Federal Court Rules
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The ruling opens the door for a potential forced breakup of Google’s ad tech empire — something DOJ attorneys have advocated for since filing the suit in 2023.
Clinton-Appointed Judge Deals Crushing Antitrust Blow To Google’s Ad Empire
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Google used classic monopoly-building tactics of eliminating competitors through acquisitions, locking customers in to using its products, and controlling how transactions occurred in the online ad market, prosecutors said at trial.
Google illegally monopolized online advertising markets, US judge rules
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The ruling issued Thursday by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia comes on the heels of a separate decision in August that concluded Google’s namesake search engine has been illegally leveraging its dominance to stifle competition and innovation.
Google's digital ad network declared an illegal monopoly, joining its search engine in penalty box
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Ultimately, Brinkema found that Google's anticompetitive acts substantially harmed "Google’s publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web."
Google loses ad tech monopoly trial, faces additional breakups
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The battle is likely to continue for several more years as Google tries to overturn the two monopoly decisions in appeals while forging ahead in the new and highly lucrative technological frontier of artificial intelligence.
Google’s digital ad network declared an illegal monopoly, joining its search engine in penalty box
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This is the second antitrust case Google has lost in a year, after it was ruled the company also had a monopoly on online search.
Google has illegal advertising monopoly, judge rules
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The ruling raises the potential that portions of Google’s business will be broken up.
Google Violated Antitrust Law By Maintaining Digital Ad Technology Monopoly, Judge Rules
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The ruling is another major legal blow for Google.
Google operates illegal ad monopolies that ‘substantially harmed’ customers, judge rules
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The decision clears the way for another hearing to determine what Google must do to restore competition in those markets, such as sell off parts of its business at another trial that has yet to be scheduled.
U.S. judge finds Google holds illegal online ad tech monopolies
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Taken together, the trio of decisions highlights the breadth of trouble Google faces, raising the prospect of sweeping penalties that could reshape multiple aspects of its business, though ongoing and expected appeals will likely take years to play out.
Google is an online advertising monopoly, judge rules | Business
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The judge did agree that Google violated the Sherman Act by monopolizing and unlawfully tying two parts of the adtech stack together, specifically DFP and AdX, and that Google is guilty of abuse of monopoly power in the publisher-side adtech.
Judge rules Google illegally monopolized adtech, opening door to potential breakup
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Google used classic monopoly-building tactics of eliminating competitors through acquisitions, locking customers in to using its products, and controlling how transactions occurred in the online ad market, prosecutors said at trial.
US judge finds Google holds illegal online ad tech monopolies
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Judge Finds Google Holds Illegal Online Ad Tech Monopolies
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Summary
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled Google illegally maintained monopoly power in online advertising, harming competition and publishers. The ruling could prompt a break-up of Google's ad business—central to a $95 billion empire. The DOJ's next steps include seeking damages, injunctions, and divestitures related to ad servers and exchanges. Google plans to appeal, arguing it provides valuable services. This ruling follows a previous decision against Google’s search engine monopoly, highlighting ongoing regulatory scrutiny amidst a rapidly evolving advertising and tech landscape.
Perspectives
A federal judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws, finding that the company monopolized the online ad tech market, particularly in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets.
The ruling allows for potential remedies that could include divestitures of Google's ad products and restrictions on its business practices to restore competition in digital advertising.
The ongoing legal actions against Google are part of a larger trend of regulatory scrutiny across Big Tech, with similar lawsuits targeting major players like Amazon, Apple, and Meta.
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