Google Faces New 640 Million Euro Damages Claim Over Ad Tech Monopoly

Google is facing another significant challenge in its ad tech business as twenty-one European news publishers have filed a damages claim against the company for over 640 million euros. This comes after the EU's 2.95 billion euro fine in September 2025, which Google is currently appealing at the EU General Court.

The group of publishers includes major names like FD Mediagroep from the Netherlands and Le Point from France, among others. They are seeking damages for losses incurred due to Google's alleged abuse of its dominant position in adtech since 2014. This case is a follow-on claim, meaning it relies on the European Commission's earlier decision that established Google's violation as a matter of law.

The litigation funder LitFin has organized and financed this lawsuit, arguing that publishers would have earned higher ad revenue and paid lower costs for ad services if Google hadn't rigged the market. This is not an isolated incident, as another case in the UK on behalf of thousands of digital publishers is seeking up to 13.6 billion pounds (approximately 17.3 billion dollars) for the same underlying conduct.

Google has called the Commission's decision 'unjustified' and is appealing the fine, but this does not halt follow-on damages claims. European competition law treats a Commission infringement decision as binding once it's final, making appeals challenging against such claims.