Judge Rejects DOJ Bid to Break Up Google's Ad Business
A federal judge has ruled against the Trump administration's attempt to break up Google's online advertising business, dealing another blow to their antitrust efforts. This decision comes after a string of losses for the administration in court, with judges repeatedly rejecting their claims that tech giants should be broken up.
The DOJ had argued that Google's dominance in the ad exchange market was anti-competitive and sought a breakup as part of its remedies. However, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema rejected this proposal, instead opting for less drastic measures such as requiring Google to offer equal access to certain AdX features.
The decision is seen as a major setback for the Trump administration's antitrust efforts, which have been met with skepticism by judges and legal scholars alike. 'Structural remedies just are not something that courts are very willing to do,' said Brian Albrecht, chief economist at the International Center for Law & Economics.
The loss may also have implications for the administration's ongoing cases against Apple and Amazon, which could be influenced by Brinkema's ruling. As one former FTC Chair noted, 'Those opinions will be influential.'