Google Loses Antitrust Case But Escapes Forced Sale of Ad Exchange
A US court has found that Google illegally monopolized aspects of the online advertising market, but declined to impose the most severe structural remedy the Department of Justice sought. The ruling marks a significant but incomplete win for regulators who have spent years building an antitrust case against the tech giant's advertising practices.
The DOJ successfully demonstrated that Google unlawfully dominated certain segments of the ad tech ecosystem. However, despite proving its case on liability, the court declined to order Google to sell its ad exchange—the outcome regulators had pursued as a means to fundamentally restructure the company's advertising business.
The case represents one of the more notable antitrust victories against a major technology company in recent years, even as it highlights the limitations of available remedies once liability has been established. While Google's conduct was deemed illegal, the court apparently concluded that lesser remedies beyond a forced divestiture could adequately address the harm to competition.