A US federal judge has ruled that Google broke antitrust laws in the digital ad market. The judge, Leonie Brinkema, found Google guilty of using its dominant position to stifle competition. This decision comes after a lawsuit was filed by the US Department of Justice and several states in 2023.
The court found that Google unfairly tied its ad server for publishers, DFP, to its ad exchange, AdX. This limited competition and harmed publishers and advertisers. Google acquired DoubleClick, the company behind DFP, in 2008 for $3.1 billion. The judge also criticized Google for not following evidence rules and misusing attorney-client privilege.
What’s Next for Google
The court’s decision is just the beginning. The next step is to decide on penalties for Google. The Department of Justice wants Google to sell off parts of its ad business to restore competition. Google disagrees with the ruling and plans to appeal. The company was cleared of wrongdoing in one area – tools for advertisers.
Google’s troubles aren’t over yet. In another case, the company was found guilty of monopolistic practices in the search market. Prosecutors are suggesting measures like selling the Chrome browser and breaking ties with companies like Apple. A decision is expected soon.
Google’s Response
Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, said the company is pleased with being cleared in one area but will appeal the rest. She added that publishers choose Google because its ad tech tools are simple, affordable, and effective.
The ruling highlights Google’s struggles with antitrust laws. The company’s dominant position in the digital ad market is under scrutiny. The outcome of these cases could significantly impact Google’s business practices and the tech industry as a whole.
- Google found guilty of antitrust violations in digital ad market
- Next step: deciding on penalties for Google
- Google plans to appeal the ruling
- Another antitrust case against Google is ongoing