Google Ad Tech Remedy Ruling Preserves Ownership Structure

The US Justice Department's antitrust case against Google has reached a crucial milestone. The court rejected the proposed breakup of Google's ad tech business, but imposed behavioral restrictions on how it operates.

Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that Google will not be forced to divest its ad exchange and publisher ad-server business, known as DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP). However, she accepted most of the proposed behavioral remedies, which will govern how these businesses interact with publishers and competing ad tech companies.

The focus now shifts from ownership to conduct. Google must comply with the restrictions, which aim to prevent it from using its position across different parts of the ad tech supply chain to advantage its own products.