Judge Blocks Google Ad Tech Breakup, Orders Curbs on Dominance

A federal judge has rejected the Justice Department's request to dismantle Google's online advertising business.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema's order follows her ruling last year that Google illegally monopolized the sophisticated online-auction technology that decides which ads appear on websites.

The Justice Department argued that making Google sell off its ad exchange was the only way to curb its dominance and open the market to new competition.

However, Brinkema opted for a lighter-touch approach, instead adopting other proposals that would curb Google's ability to control how publishers use its technology.