A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Google illegally built monopoly power in its online advertising business, siding with the Department of Justice in a landmark antitrust case that could force the tech giant to break up parts of its empire.
The decision, handed down on Thursday by Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia, found that Google’s control over both sides of the digital ad market — the tools for publishers and advertisers — gave it an unfair advantage that harmed rivals and consumers.
It marks the second major court win against Google in under a year and the third since late 2023, when a jury declared its app store to be an illegal monopoly.
At the heart of the ruling is Google’s $31 billion ad tech “stack,” a suite of tools used to match online ads with web publishers. The court found that Google tied together its ad server and publisher exchange in a way that locked out competitors and allowed it to “establish and protect” its dominance.
The DOJ argued that the setup created a structural conflict of interest, letting Google manipulate outcomes in its own favour — a view Judge Brinkema agreed with.
Google may now be required to divest part of its advertising business, though the company said it would appeal.
“We won half of this case and will appeal the other half,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. She noted the court had rejected claims tied to Google’s advertiser tools and acquisitions like DoubleClick.
The ruling adds to growing pressure on Google’s parent company, Alphabet, which is already facing regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe.
Critics have long warned that Google’s dominance in digital advertising raises prices for businesses and reduces visibility for smaller publishers. The Justice Department echoed that, stating Google’s behaviour “substantially harmed” publishers and the broader online information ecosystem.
The case also underscores a wider crackdown on Big Tech, as U.S. regulators ramp up efforts to rein in the power of companies like Meta, Amazon and Apple. Just this week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in court over separate antitrust claims targeting the company’s acquisition practices.
While Google maintains that its tools benefit publishers, the court’s decision signals a new chapter in the government's antitrust fight — one that could alter how digital advertising works across the open web.
Google announced a new “AI Mode” for its search engine in the United States, aiming to make searching feel more like talking to an expert who can answer almost any question.
Mexico is suing Google for disregarding repeated requests to stop referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" for U.S. users on Google Maps.
Google is facing a landmark antitrust trial beginning Monday, as U.S. officials seek to break up the tech giant's dominance in the search engine market.
Google plans to appeal parts of a recent U.S. court ruling that found it had unlawfully maintained monopoly power in parts of the online ad market, specifically in publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, while the court dismissed other antitrust claims.
China has dismissed the recent decision by Google to rename parts of the disputed South China Sea, which now labels maritime areas near the Philippines as the West Philippine Sea.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least four people and leaving several injured, according to emergency services.
Thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets in Sofia and other major cities on Saturday to oppose the government’s plan to replace the lev with the euro, a key step in the country’s deeper integration into the European Union.
A Chinese military official on Saturday rejected U.S. allegations about Beijing’s regional behavior, accusing Washington of destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region.
Paris Saint-Germain sealed their first-ever European Cup with a dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Saturday’s Champions League final.
A small plane crashed into the terrace of a residential building near Mönchengladbach, western Germany, on Saturday, killing two people, police said.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
An international academic conference titled "Islamophobia: Exposing Prejudice and Destroying Stigma" has officially opened in the capital of Azerbaijan, bringing together global scholars, experts, and policymakers to address the rise and consequences of anti-Muslim discrimination.
Authorities in Whatcom County, Washington, issued a warning Friday after a truck carrying honey bee hives overturned near the Canadian border, initially prompting fears that millions of bees had been released.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least four people and injuring dozens, according to emergency services.
Thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets in Sofia and other major cities on Saturday to oppose the government’s plan to replace the lev with the euro, a key step in the country’s deeper integration into the European Union.
A Chinese military official on Saturday rejected U.S. allegations about Beijing’s regional behavior, accusing Washington of destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region.
Paris Saint-Germain sealed their first-ever European Cup with a dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Saturday’s Champions League final.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least four people and leaving several injured, according to emergency services.
Thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets in Sofia and other major cities on Saturday to oppose the government’s plan to replace the lev with the euro, a key step in the country’s deeper integration into the European Union.
A Chinese military official on Saturday rejected U.S. allegations about Beijing’s regional behavior, accusing Washington of destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region.
Paris Saint-Germain sealed their first-ever European Cup with a dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Saturday’s Champions League final.
A small plane crashed into the terrace of a residential building near Mönchengladbach, western Germany, on Saturday, killing two people, police said.
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