The US government has given Google a second chance to address its dominance over online advertising in two markets. A federal judge set a trial date for September 22 for the tech giant to face the Justice Department’s efforts to break up its ad tech monopoly.
Google is facing antitrust trials on two fronts. In one case, Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that Google used illegal tactics to block competition in online advertising markets. The government is seeking structural remedies, including the divestment of Google’s Ad Manager suite. Google’s lawyers argued against this option, saying it would be an unprecedented remedy and would harm publishers and advertisers.
In another case, US District Judge Amit Mehta found Google liable for monopolizing the general search engine market and the market for general search engine text. The judge is considering divestments of Google’s Chrome browser and Android operating system, as well as limitations on its AI tools.
Google has a history of successfully navigating antitrust challenges. Its acquisition of DoubleClick was reviewed and cleared by the US Federal Trade Commission in 2007. However, this time around, the government is pushing for more significant changes to Google’s business practices.
The outcome of these trials will have significant implications for Google’s business and its ability to operate in a competitive market. The company’s lawyers are likely to argue that divestitures would harm publishers and advertisers, while the government may push for structural remedies to restore competition.
Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/google-is-fighting-a-new-doj-bid-to-break-up-another-part-of-its-empire-200520168.html