U.S. judge rules Google illegally dominated Ad tech markets
The post U.S. judge rules Google illegally dominated Ad tech markets appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
On Thursday, April 17, 2025, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia issued a 115-page ruling that found Google violated antitrust laws to establish a firm hold over the online advertising space, allowing the company to charge higher prices and keep a larger portion of ad sales. The judge found that the tech firm “willfully acquired and maintained monopoly power” in two central markets: publisher ad servers and ad exchanges. Publisher ad servers are vital tools that enable sites to manage and sell their ad space. Ad exchanges, in turn, are marketplaces connecting the buyers—advertisers—to the websites. Brinkema described these technologies as the “lifeblood” of the internet, essential to the financial viability of online content. The ruling concluded that Google trapped publishers in its products, prevented competition, and imposed unequal terms. This hurt other companies, publishers, and consumers who rely on a free and open internet. The company’s exclusionary practices did not simply prevent rivals from being able to compete; they caused widespread and substantial harm to its publisher clients, distorted fair competition, and negatively affected consumers that depend on access to information across the open web, Brinkema said in a statement. However, the judge also ruled that the government had failed to show that Google held a monopoly in the advertiser ad networks — a small but significant victory for Google. Court considers forcing Google to sell parts of its business Now that the court has determined that Google violated the law, the next step will be to figure out how to fix it. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking strong action, outlining potential divestitures where it may want the firm to sell part of its ad business. The DOJ urges Google to break up its Google Ad Manager, which combines ad servers and exchange services. After the sales, smaller…
Filed under: News - @ April 17, 2025 8:20 pm