Google will argue in court today against a forced breakup of its advertising technology business, as a U.S. judge considers remedies to restore competition in the digital ad market following an earlier antitrust ruling.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, presiding over the case in Alexandria, Virginia, is holding a hearing to explore possible structural or behavioral solutions after ruling in April that Google violated antitrust laws. The court found the tech giant unlawfully tied its ad exchange to its publisher ad server, creating a competitive disadvantage for publishers and benefiting Google’s dominant position in the online advertising ecosystem.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed that Google divest at least part of its ad tech business—specifically its Google Ad Manager, which includes both its ad exchange and publisher ad server. These tools are central to how digital publishers manage and monetize their advertising inventory.
Google contends that such a divestiture would be inappropriate and legally unjustified, arguing that its tools offer broader functionality beyond ad sales. The company is aiming to avoid the kind of drastic remedy being considered in a separate case in Washington, where the DOJ is seeking to force the sale of Google’s Chrome browser to address its online search dominance.
Judge Brinkema has not yet decided on the final remedy but has signaled her concern about the impact of Google’s practices on market competition and publishers. She found that the company’s policies were not in the best interest of its publishing clients and ultimately harmed both competition and internet users.
In a bid to ease regulatory pressure, Google has previously considered selling off parts of its ad business, including its ad exchange, as part of negotiations with European antitrust authorities, according to a September report by Reuters.
The outcome of the current proceedings could have far-reaching implications for the digital advertising industry and Big Tech’s grip on the online economy. Judge Brinkema is expected to outline next steps following today’s hearing.
