DOJ Confirms It Wants To Break Up Google's Advertising Tech Monopoly

Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:

The US Department of Justice has confirmed its intention to pursue a breakup of Google's advertising technology business, escalating the stakes in a high-profile antitrust battle. The DOJ is seeking a court order to force Google to divest key parts of its ad tech operations, including its ad exchange and publisher ad server, as part of efforts to restore competition in the digital advertising market.

This confirmation came during a hearing where US District Judge Leonie Brinkema set a trial date for September 22 to determine the appropriate remedies following last month's ruling that Google illegally monopolized critical segments of online advertising technology.

The judge's earlier decision found that Google unlawfully maintained monopoly power by tying its publisher ad server - software that helps websites manage and sell ad space - with its ad exchange, where advertisers bid for that space.

Judge Brinkema emphasized that this conduct harmed publishers, competitors, and consumers by restricting competition and locking publishers into Google's ecosystem. However, the court did not find Google to hold a monopoly over advertiser-facing tools, narrowing the scope of the ruling.

The DOJ's proposed remedy is a phased approach beginning with Google providing real-time access to bidding data from its ad exchange to rival publisher ad servers. Ultimately, the government wants Google to sell off its ad exchange and publisher ad server businesses, a process DOJ attorney Julia Tarver Wood acknowledged could take several years. "Leaving Google with 90 percent of publishers dependent on them is, frankly, too dangerous," Wood said.

Google vehemently opposes the breakup plan, arguing that the DOJ's demands exceed the court's findings and lack a legal basis. Karen Dunn, Google's lead attorney, described the forced divestiture as "very likely completely impossible" and warned it would cause "serious complications," including the loss of important privacy and security protections.

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