US antitrust trial begins as DOJ pushes to dismantle Google’s ad tech monopoly | Malay Mail
The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) has launched one of its toughest battles yet against Google, arguing that nothing short of breaking up the tech giant’s ad business will restore fairness to the online advertising market.
In court this week, DOJ attorney Julia Tarver Wood compared Google’s dominance to history repeating itself, warning that if the company isn’t split up, it will simply find new ways to maintain its control.
What the DOJ Wants
The government is asking the court to force Google to:
- Sell AdX, its massive ad exchange that connects publishers with advertisers.
- Open-source the auction logic in its ad server, DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP), so rivals and publishers can finally see how ad bids are decided.
- Potentially sell off DFP too, if competition doesn’t improve.
The DOJ says these steps are necessary because publishers currently feel locked into Google’s system, even when it hurts their business.
Google’s Defense
Google’s lawyers fired back, calling the government’s plan “radical and reckless.” They argue that breaking up its tools would hurt publishers, slow innovation, and could even make the ad market more concentrated under different ownership.
Instead, Google has proposed softer “behavioral changes,” such as pledging not to use certain ad auction tactics and opening more integration options for rivals. The company claims these fixes could be rolled out within a year, compared to the decade it might take for a full breakup.
Why It Matters
Ad tools like Google’s DFP and AdX are the financial backbone of much of the free internet. Andrew Casale, CEO of rival Index Exchange, called DFP the “unofficial currency of the internet.” Without it, many publishers wouldn’t be able to offer free content online.
Publishers like Advance Local testified that Google has too much power, forcing them into contracts they’d never agree to elsewhere. Some industry leaders even said they’d prefer to see DFP spun off immediately.
The DOJ insists Google’s promises are like “a band-aid on a severed limb,” leaving plenty of room for the company to cheat again.
Bigger Picture
This trial comes as Google is also battling another antitrust case over its search dominance, where a different judge stopped short of breaking up its Chrome browser. Google hopes that ruling will work in its favor here, but the DOJ argues the ad tech case is much stronger.
AI has been mentioned in the trial, but so far, experts say it hasn’t fundamentally changed how online ad auctions work — though Google’s massive data troves still give it an edge.
What’s Next
If the court sides with the DOJ, Google could be forced to part with some of its most important ad businesses — a move that would reshape the online advertising industry and potentially change how much of the internet gets funded.
As Wood summed it up: “Without strong remedies, your honor, what was it all for?”
#Google #Antitrust #TechNews #OnlineAds #DOJ