Washington, D.C. — In a historic antitrust victory, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has successfully proven that Google illegally monopolized digital advertising markets, marking a pivotal moment in the federal government’s ongoing efforts to rein in Big Tech.
Following a 15-day trial last September, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that Google violated federal antitrust laws by maintaining a monopoly over key open-web digital advertising technologies. The Court concluded that Google’s actions “harmed Google’s publishing customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web.”
The decision is the second major monopolization ruling against Google and comes as part of a broader crackdown on anti-competitive behavior by dominant tech platforms.
“This is a landmark victory in the ongoing fight to stop Google from monopolizing the digital public square,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue taking bold legal action to protect the American people from encroachments on free speech and free markets by tech companies.”
Filed in January 2023 by the DOJ and attorneys general from multiple states, including Virginia, the lawsuit accused Google of leveraging its dominance through strategic acquisitions and auction manipulation in the so-called “ad tech stack” — a core infrastructure used by website publishers to buy and sell online advertising.
“The Court’s ruling is clear: Google is a monopolist and has abused its monopoly power,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater, who leads the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. “Google’s unlawful dominance allows them to censor and even deplatform American voices. And at the same time, Google destroyed and hid information that exposed its illegal conduct. Today’s opinion confirms Google’s controlling hand over online advertising and, increasingly, the internet itself.”
The court’s ruling supports claims that, for over 15 years, Google engaged in exclusionary practices that stifled competition, neutralized rivals, and allowed the tech giant to entrench its control over the multi-billion-dollar online ad market.
The case represents a significant moment in the DOJ’s intensified push to hold major technology companies accountable for alleged anti-competitive practices. With Google’s ad tech dominance now formally rebuked by a federal court, industry analysts and regulators alike are watching closely to see what remedial actions or penalties may follow.
“This is a game-changer,” said Connecticut Attorney General Tong. “As Judge Brinkema writes in her decision, Google was in direct violation of the Sherman Act by dictating how digital ads are sold and the terms under which its rivals can compete. With this victory in hand, we can hopefully work now towards restoring a fair, free, and competitive digital advertising marketplace. This decision is the first step in opening up competition so that Connecticut businesses and consumers will pay less for advertising – and therefore less for goods and services. We will no longer be under the thumb of a gigantic multinational conglomerate.”
“Advertising is key to a business’s success, and Google has been playing unfairly in the advertising space. Google’s illegal control over ad tech markets has hurt consumers, small businesses, and website creators, increased prices for advertising products, reduced competition for advertising technologies, and has stifled creativity in a space where innovation is crucial,” said California Attorney General Bonta. “As the fifth largest economy in the world, California has an outsized role in protecting competition and a vibrant economy where business can thrive on merits, not on illegal business practices — today, we’ve done just that.”
“Google has created an environment in the digital world that has caused harm to online publishers and advertisers by weakening a free and open internet,” Chicago Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “Google has maintained its monopolies in digital advertising technologies for too long, and I am pleased that the court found the company liable for its unlawful actions.”
“Google’s unlawful monopoly in digital advertising has harmed businesses whose operations are largely funded by online advertising,” Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown said after the ruling. “Google’s anticompetitive practices have resulted in higher fees and limited advertising options that has become a vital tool for business both large and small businesses to connect with consumers.”
Further proceedings are expected to determine specific remedies to restore competition and prevent future abuse of monopoly power.
