Google Faces $3.2 Billion in Publisher Damages for Ad-Tech Monopoly

A New York federal judge has ruled that Google can face over $3.2 billion in damage claims from major publishers, including USA Today Co. and Daily Mail General Trust Plc, for alleged monopolization of the advertising technology market.

US District Judge P. Kevin Castel allowed jury trials to proceed on claims related to Google’s AdX advertising exchange, which publishers argue harmed their businesses. The ruling permits a class of about 5,000 publishers to seek approximately $1.7 billion in damages, while USA Today and Daily Mail can pursue $900 million and $600 million, respectively.

Google, in a statement, said the ruling dismissed claims from some publishers who used a different ad-buying tool and that it will defend the remaining claims in court. Polly Grunfeld Sack, USA Today’s chief legal counsel, called the decision a significant victory, stating it streamlines their path to recovery.

The lawsuits in New York are part of broader antitrust actions against Google, including a 2023 case by the US Justice Department accusing the company of illegally monopolizing ad tech markets. A separate ruling in Virginia already required Google to make its ad tech tools compatible with rivals but did not order a breakup of the business.