The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Google have concluded two weeks of hearings over how to address the tech giant’s illegal monopoly in the online advertising market, marking a major moment in one of the most significant antitrust battles in decades. The case, held in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, follows an April ruling by Judge Leonie M. Brinkema that found Google had unlawfully monopolized publisher tools and ad transaction software.
During the remedies phase, DOJ attorneys argued that only a full breakup of Google’s advertising business could restore competition. Prosecutors proposed forcing Google to sell its ad exchange software—the core system connecting buyers and sellers of ad space—and to make public the code running its ad auction tools. They also suggested that if market competition does not improve, Google should be required to divest its remaining ad software assets.
Google’s lawyers countered that such a breakup would disrupt smaller publishers who depend on its systems to sell ads efficiently. Instead, the company offered to make its technology more interoperable with competitors’ products and revise policies to allow publishers to use rival tools alongside Google’s platforms.
Executives from competing ad tech firms PubMatic and Equativ testified in support of the government’s position. PubMatic CEO Rajeev Goel argued that a breakup was the only lasting fix, warning that any behavioral restrictions would fail to prevent Google from finding new ways to maintain dominance.
Judge Brinkema questioned whether regulatory oversight alone could be effective, noting that even strong compliance orders can be difficult to enforce against a company as powerful as Google. She encouraged both parties to consider a settlement but said she would deliver a ruling in the coming months following closing arguments in November.
The outcome could reshape the global online advertising industry and determine whether Washington will take meaningful action to curb Big Tech monopolies after years of criticism and limited results.
