Google Holds Illegal Monopoly Over Online Ad Tech, Judge Rules

A federal judge ruled that Google has illegally maintained a monopoly over online advertising technology, marking a significant legal setback for the tech giant.

The Details: The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, focused on Google's domination of the advertising technology markets. The judge found that Google had engaged in a series of anti-competitive practices, including eliminating competitors through acquisitions and forcing customers to use its products. She ruled that such conduct had "substantially harmed Google’s publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web."

For Context: The Justice Department has argued that Google should be forced to sell off its digital advertising products, especially Google Ad Manager, which includes both its ad server and its ad exchange. Brinkema said a second trial phase will be held to “determine the appropriate remedies.”

How the Media Covered It: AP (Left bias) wrote that the case branded Google as an “abusive monopolist” twice in less than a year. New York Post (Lean Right bias) included perspectives from Google's attorneys, who argued that the ruling was based on an "outdated understanding of the internet" and warned that it carried a “serious risk of error or unintended consequences.” Forbes (Center bias) also brought up Meta’s recent antitrust lawsuit, which may force another tech giant to restructure or sell some of its apps.

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