TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Apr 21, 2025

A judge ruled Thursday that Alphabet’s Google illegally dominates two markets for online advertising technology. According to Reuters, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema found Google liable for “willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” in the markets for publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, which sit between buyers and sellers. The decision clears the way for a future hearing to determine what steps Google must take to restore competition in those markets, such as selling off parts of its business. A trial date has not yet been set. It is the second court ruling finding that Google holds an illegal monopoly, following a similar judgment in a case over online search. The U.S. Department of Justice has said Google should be required to divest at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company’s publisher ad server and ad exchange. Read more in a statement from Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.