U.S. Court Finds Google Guilty of Illegally Monopolizing Ad Tech Market

A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that Google illegally maintained monopolies in key areas of the online advertising ecosystem. The decision concludes that the tech giant "willfully acquired and maintained monopoly power" in both publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, strengthening the U.S. Justice Department’s case against the company.

The antitrust lawsuit, filed in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Justice along with 17 states, accused Alphabet Inc.’s Google of using its dominance in advertising technology to suppress competition. The case focused on Google's control over the systems that determine where and how online ads appear, and at what cost.

Prosecutors argued that Google unfairly leveraged its control of the digital advertising supply chain through its Google Network division, forcing advertisers and publishers to use its products and limiting their ability to work with competitors.

However, the court dismissed a separate claim that Google held monopoly power in ad networks, citing insufficient evidence.

Still, the ruling represents a major win for antitrust regulators, reinforcing concerns about Google’s grip over the online ad industry. The outcome may pave the way for regulatory reforms and influence future lawsuits targeting Big Tech.