The Department of Justice has secured a significant victory in the antitrust case against Google. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled in favor of the government, stating that Google violated antitrust laws by monopolizing the open-web digital advertising markets. The court found that Google's actions harmed publishing customers, damaged the competitive process, and ultimately affected consumers accessing information on the internet.
"This is a landmark victory in the ongoing fight to stop Google from monopolizing the digital public square," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "This Department of Justice will continue taking bold legal action to protect the American people from encroachments on free speech and free markets by tech companies."
Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division remarked, "The Court’s ruling is clear: Google is a monopolist and has abused its monopoly power. Google’s unlawful dominance allows them to censor and even deplatform American voices. And at the same time, Google destroyed and hid information that exposed its illegal conduct. Today’s opinion confirms Google’s controlling hand over online advertising and, increasingly, the internet itself. I am extraordinarily proud of the dedicated public servants whose tireless efforts led to today’s decision."
The decision comes after a 15-day trial held in September 2024. The legal proceedings began in January 2023 when the Justice Department, aided by several state Attorneys General and the Commonwealth of Virginia, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit. The lawsuit accused Google of monopolizing essential digital advertising technologies known as the "ad tech stack," vital for website publishers conducting online ad transactions. The complaint alleged that Google used acquisitions and anticompetitive auction manipulation to undermine competition over more than 15 years, leading to the weakening or removal of its ad tech competitors.
