Judge Rejects U.S. Bid to Force Sale of Google's Ad Exchange
A federal judge in Virginia rejected the U.S. Department of Justice’s attempt to force Alphabet Inc.'s (GOOGL) sale of its ad exchange, AdX, marking a significant legal victory for Google. The ruling comes after Judge Leonie Brinkema previously found that Google held illegal monopolies over key parts of online advertising technology but accepted most behavioral remedies instead of structural ones. The DOJ and multiple states had sued Google in 2023, alleging anticompetitive behavior by locking publishers into using its ad server. While the AdX business is relatively small—accounting for about 4% of Google's revenue—the decision signals continued judicial resistance to breaking up Big Tech firms. This ruling adds to a broader trend where courts have repeatedly rejected breakup attempts against major tech companies, raising questions about whether antitrust enforcement can effectively challenge their dominance in the U.S. economy.
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Topics: advertising technology antitrust monopoly