Google Ad-Tech Antitrust Ruling Leaves Monopoly Power Intact
A federal judge has issued a remedies order in the Google ad-tech antitrust case, imposing behavioral requirements on the tech giant while rejecting structural remedies.
The decision was made by Judge Leonie Brinkema after she ruled in April 2025 that Google had violated antitrust law by acquiring and maintaining monopolies in publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, and using its control of DFP and AdX to shut out rivals.
John Bergmayer, Legal Director at Public Knowledge, expressed disappointment with the remedy, stating that it leaves Google controlling both products and preserves the conflict of interest that made its unlawful conduct possible.
The remedies include strong interoperability, data portability, nondiscrimination, and monitoring requirements, which could give publishers and competing ad-tech firms more opportunities in the marketplace. However, Bergmayer notes that the effectiveness of these remedies will depend on their implementation and whether Google can be held accountable for attempting to evade them.