The judge is considering a forced breakup of Google’s advertising empire. She cited illegal monopolistic behavior in the digital ad market.
Google Pushes Back Against Divestiture
Google responded sharply to the DOJ’s filing, saying such a breakup is “not technically feasible” due to how tightly AdX and DFP are integrated into its infrastructure. Instead, Google proposed a series of behavioral remedies aimed at improving market fairness without breaking up the company.
These include:
- Allowing rival ad servers access to real-time bidding data from AdX.
- Dropping Unified Pricing Rules, giving publishers more control over their ad pricing.
- Avoiding “first look” and “last look” auction tactics that gave Google competitive advantages.
Google claims these steps sufficiently address the court’s liability findings. The company also emphasized that Google Ad Manager, though a small piece of its overall business, is vital for small publishers and businesses. Forcing a sale, Google warns, could raise costs and reduce access to key digital tools.
What Happens Next?
As the case moves forward, both the DOJ and Google will continue to negotiate potential remedies. The court could ultimately approve either the forced divestiture plan or Google’s proposed conduct-based solutions. An appeal is also expected.
