Google dodges another breakup attempt

A federal judge has rejected the United States Department of Justice's proposal to dismantle Google's advertising technology division.

Despite previously ruling that the technology giant engaged in anticompetitive practices to dominate the ad tech marketplace, US District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema decided against forcing a divestiture. Instead, the court will implement behavioral remedies designed to restore fair market competition. While the specific details of these remedies are temporarily under seal for redaction, they are expected to include rules that prevent Google from prioritizing its own services during ad auctions and requirements that compel the company to share real-time data with external competitors.

This outcome marks another legal reprieve for Google, following a similar ruling in its search monopoly lawsuit where the presiding judge also chose behavioral modifications over a company breakup. In the ad tech case, the government successfully argued that Google illegally bundled its publisher-facing servers with its ad exchange platform to disadvantage rivals, though the court dismissed claims regarding advertiser-side tools. Google welcomed the decision to avoid structural separation. The resolution of this trial represents a critical milestone in the ongoing, bipartisan regulatory offensive against major technology firms, with federal antitrust trials against Amazon and Apple expected to proceed in the near future.