Judge declines to force Google to divest ad exchange in antitrust remedy
A federal judge ruled that Google will not be required to sell its online advertising exchange, despite the company having lost an antitrust case brought by the Department of Justice. The court agreed Google illegally locked publishers into its exchange but found no violation regarding advertiser tools. The DOJ's request for divestiture was denied, though other penalties and business practice changes may still be imposed, with details sealed for two weeks.
The ruling concludes the third major antitrust action against Google, following the search case that ended with data-sharing requirements and the Epic Games dispute that forced app store changes. Judge Leonie Brinkema's decision to seal the order for two weeks allows both parties to request redactions before specifics are revealed.
The court's split finding—upholding the claim about publisher lock-in while rejecting the advertiser tools allegation—means Google's ad exchange remains intact. Though the exchange represents a modest portion of Google's revenue, the divestiture would have sent a significant signal to other technology companies facing similar scrutiny.
This ruling may shape how technology companies approach antitrust compliance, suggesting that even losing major cases does not necessarily result in structural breakups. Publishers who were locked into Google's exchange could see some relief through business practice changes, though the specifics remain sealed. Consumers may notice little immediate difference, but the precedent could influence future regulatory actions against dominant platforms.