Google loses ad tech monopoly case

The US Department of Justice has won its antitrust case against Google, which accused the company of operating a monopoly in the advertising technology industry. The ruling, which marks Google’s most recent antitrust loss following its Search case, says the tech giant’s anticompetitive practices in two key markets “substantially harmed” publishers and users on the web. “Plaintiffs have proven that Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising,” US District Judge Leonie Brinkema writes. “For over a decade, Google has tied its publisher ad server and ad exchange together through contractual policies and technological integration, which enabled the company to establish and protect its monopoly power in these two markets.” Judge Brinkema found Google “liable under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act” due to its practices in the ad tech tool and exc ... Read full article.