Google Wins Reprieve on Advertising Monopoly After Federal Judge Rejects DOJ Demands
A federal judge has ruled that Google does not have to break up its advertising technology business. The decision, made by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, comes after a two-week trial in which the Department of Justice (DOJ) accused Google of holding an illegal monopoly over the industry.
The DOJ had requested that Google sell off its AdX exchange business and open-source the technology behind DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP), its publisher-side platform. However, Brinkema rejected these proposals, instead accepting 'most of the parties' proposed behavioral remedies', which remain under seal in her opinion.
The decision marks a second major antitrust loss for Google, following a separate judge's ruling in August 2024 that the company had an illegal monopoly over online search. The Justice Department sued Google in 2023, accusing it of acquiring other businesses and tying its products together to maintain monopoly power.