Google Escapes Breakup of Ad Business but Must Play Nice

Google has once again escaped a breakup of its business after a federal judge ruled that it doesn't have to break up its adtech business. The decision comes after the Justice Department (DOJ) accused Google of operating an illegal monopoly in certain online advertising markets.

Last year, a federal judge rejected a forced divestiture of Google's Chrome browser, but this time around, Judge Leonie Brinkema accepted 'most of the parties' proposed behavioral remedies'. The list of changes includes Google playing nicer with its competitors and not giving its own services preferential treatment.

The remedies decision is seen as a victory for the DOJ, which aims to restore competition in online advertising markets. However, some adtech experts argue that untethering Google's supply and demand sides would boost innovation in the space and increase revenue for publishers.