In a landmark decision on April 17, 2025, a U.S. federal judge ruled that Google unlawfully maintained monopolies in core segments of the digital advertising industry, dealing a significant blow to the tech giant’s business practices.

Judge Leonie Brinkema concluded that Google violated antitrust laws—specifically Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act—by improperly linking its ad server (DoubleClick for Publishers, or DFP) with its dominant ad exchange (AdX). This long-standing integration strategy, the court found, suppressed competition, harmed online publishers, and limited choices in the market.

However, the court dismissed several other claims brought by the Department of Justice, ruling that Google’s advertiser tools and ad networks did not present sufficient evidence of anticompetitive harm.

This partial victory for the DOJ opens the door to potential remedies, including the possibility of forcing Google to divest parts of its advertising business—such as components of Google Ad Manager. Any such move would significantly impact Google’s advertising division, which remains a major source of the company’s overall revenue.

In response, Google stated its intention to appeal the decision, defending its advertising products as efficient, innovative, and beneficial to publishers and advertisers alike.

This ruling adds to growing legal pressure on Google. It follows a separate 2024 judgment finding that the company also violated antitrust law in its search business. The mounting legal scrutiny could reshape how Google operates across multiple business verticals and set a precedent for future actions against other tech giants in the digital ad space.

If you like this post, please share it with others on social media. Follow Anchor Biz IT on LinkedIn.