Google Avoids Breakup, Must Make Ad Tech Changes

US District Judge Leonie Brinkema has ruled that Alphabet Inc.'s Google does not have to sell off its advertising exchange, AdX, as part of an antitrust case brought by the Justice Department. Instead, Google must make changes to its ad tech tools to work with those operated by rivals.

The ruling comes after a federal judge found in April 2025 that Google had illegally monopolized two advertising technology markets. The Justice Department had asked for a forced sale of AdX and for the company to make public the auction logic behind its advertisements. However, Brinkema rejected this option and instead ordered behavioral changes at Google.

Google shares were up less than 1% at $338.3 after the ruling. The tech giant's US ad operations are expected to bring in $101.2 billion in 2026, with most of that coming from search ads.

The Justice Department said it was pleased that the court ordered substantial relief in the case, but could still appeal the ruling. Google continues to face scrutiny over its advertising practices from state attorneys general, private plaintiffs, and European regulators.