Google Escapes Breakup as Judge Orders Behavioral Changes in Ad-Tech Case

A federal judge has rejected the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) request to break up Google's advertising technology business. Instead, Judge Leonie Brinkema ordered behavioral changes to prevent Google from favoring its own ad exchange and publisher ad server.

The ruling stems from a 2025 court decision that found Google had operated an illegal monopoly in the open-web advertising-technology market. The DOJ argued that by controlling both AdX, the ad exchange at the center of the case, and DoubleClick for Publishers, Google created a conflict of interest and favored its own systems over rivals.

Google will retain ownership of its ad-tech business but must implement new rules to prevent self-favoring. The exact requirements are still under seal, but Judge Brinkema accepted most of the proposed behavioral remedies with modifications.

The decision has drawn mixed reactions from advocacy groups and experts. Public Knowledge's legal director, John Bergmayer, called the ruling 'disappointing' because it leaves Google in control of both products and preserves the conflict of interest that made the unlawful conduct possible.