Google`s Advertising Monopoly Is Coming to an End!

U.S. Department of Justice Wants to Dismantle Google’s Ad Empire. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is demanding that Google sell off its ad exchange and publisher ad server units in a bold move to break the company's monopoly in digital advertising.

Google’s Ad Tech Monopoly Under Fire

The DOJ has made a major stride in its antitrust lawsuit against Google. A court already ruled that Google’s dominance in ad tech harms competition. Now, with a second phase of hearings set for September, the DOJ aims to break Google's control by forcing divestiture of its two core ad tech systems.

More Than a Search Engine

While Google is widely seen as a search engine, it's actually the largest digital advertising company in the world. That’s why this lawsuit targets its most profitable business unit: advertising technologies.

Although an earlier ruling found insufficient evidence that acquisitions like DoubleClick harmed competition, Google’s monopoly over ad exchanges and publisher ad servers was deemed illegal.

Two Pillars to Be Sold

The DOJ demands Google sell:

• Its ad exchange, a global auction platform for buying and selling ad space.
• Its publisher ad server, which websites use to manage and display ads.

Google protests and doesn`t want to back

Google argues these demands are excessive, legally unfounded, and harmful to publishers and advertisers. Lee-Anne Mulholland, VP of Regulatory Affairs, stated: “These proposals go far beyond the court’s findings and lack legal basis.”

Experts estimate the value of Google’s ad tech arm at up to $95 billion, making divestiture complex and potentially unmanageable.

An Explosive Fall Ahead

While summer may remain quiet, fall is expected to be intense for Google, with three major antitrust trials, including this one, launching. The ad tech case begins September 22, followed by a Play Store case later in 2025.