Antitrust breakthrough: Google found to have illegally dominated digital advertising market.
A federal judge ruled Thursday that Google illegally maintained a monopoly over online advertising technology, handing a major victory to regulators seeking to curb Big Tech’s dominance. The decision comes from a case led by the U.S. Department of Justice and several states, accusing Google of abusing its control over key parts of the digital ad market.
Google’s advertising technology — used to place ads across millions of websites — has long been criticized for squeezing competition, raising ad prices, and hurting publishers.
Thursday’s ruling validates those complaints: Google “held and abused monopoly power,” the judge found, giving it unfair advantages and locking in advertisers and publishers.
According to the complaint, Google controlled both the buy-side and sell-side of online ads, managing the platforms where ads were bought, sold, and served.
This dual control allegedly allowed Google to manipulate ad auctions, inflate advertiser costs, and reduce revenue to publishers.
The ruling could have major consequences:
- Google may face forced divestitures of parts of its ad tech business.
- Regulators could push for structural changes to restore competition.
- The broader online ad market — valued at over $600 billion globally — could be reshaped.
In response, a Google spokesperson said the company “strongly disagrees” with the ruling and plans to appeal, warning that breaking up its ad business would “hurt businesses, publishers, and consumers.
The U.S. government scored one of its most significant wins yet against a tech giant.
Google’s advertising empire — the heart of its $300+ billion annual revenue — could soon face the biggest shake-up in its history.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
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