Google Faces $3.2 Billion Damages Claims Over Ad-Tech Monopoly

A New York federal judge has ruled that Alphabet Inc.'s Google can be sued for over $3.2 billion in damages related to its monopolization of advertising technology markets. U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel allowed jury trials to move forward on how Google's conduct harmed major publishers, including a class of about 5,000 publishers who can pursue $1.7 billion in damages. USA Today and Daily Mail General will be allowed to seek $900 million and $600 million, respectively.

Google faces these lawsuits after the U.S. Justice Department and states accused it of illegally monopolizing several areas of advertising technology used for buying, selling, and serving online display ads. A federal judge in Virginia previously ruled that Google must make its ad tech tools work with those operated by rivals but declined to order a breakup of the business.

The ruling allows USA Today Co. to pursue its $1 billion in worldwide damages, which could be trebled under antitrust laws. Philip Korologos, representing the publishers, said they look forward to presenting their claims at trial.