Google faces antitrust heat again as judge rules ad tech monopoly illegal

A federal judge found Google illegally monopolized key parts of the online advertising technology market, including publisher ad servers and ad exchanges. The decision marked the second time in a year that the search giant was declared an illegal monopolist. Alphabet’s shares briefly dropped on news of the ruling.

Antitrust implications: According to Reuters, the verdict lays the groundwork for U.S. antitrust officials to argue that Google should be forced to divest certain advertising products. The company disagreed with the judge’s conclusion on publisher tools, stating that it would appeal.

DoubleClick’s role: CNBC highlighted acquisitions like DoubleClick as crucial to Google’s rise in online advertising. It also reported Google’s claim that publishers voluntarily choose its tools for their simplicity and effectiveness.

Structural changes ahead?: The judge’s order leaves open the question of what remedies Google will face, with structural changes such as selling parts of its ad tech business still on the table. Officials have already signaled that a broader breakup of Google’s advertising products is possible.

Overreliance: Thousands of publishers and advertisers rely heavily on these tools to monetize digital content. The opinion indicated that Google’s practices deprived rivals of fair market access while diminishing competition for publishers seeking to place ads. Monday’s separate proceeding on Google’s alleged search monopoly, which may involve a call to divest the Chrome browser, reflects continuing scrutiny of the company. No specific penalties have been imposed yet, and further litigation will determine whether Google must implement significant structural changes.