Google Spared Breakup in Digital Ads Ruling Amid Criticism of Big Tech

A federal judge has ordered Google to retool its digital ads business but spared it from being broken up, in a decision that comes after two previous attempts by the Justice Department to dismantle the company's internet empire.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema marks the second time this year that Google has received a reprieve from the government's proposal to break up its digital advertising business.

Google generates nearly $400 billion in annual ad sales, and critics of Big Tech have condemned the ruling, saying it sends the wrong message at the wrong time. 'It takes an Olympic level of mental gymnastics to find that Google is operating an illegal monopoly and then decide to do nothing about it,' said Sacha Haworth, executive director of The Tech Oversight Project.

The company's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., has a market value of $4.11 trillion, and the judge's decision will remain under seal for 14 days to allow the parties to review it and propose any necessary redactions.