Google faces breakup after ruling on illegal advertising monopoly

In a significant ruling on April 17, 2025, a federal judge in Virginia found Google's practices to be in violation of antitrust laws concerning online advertising. The ruling marks the second occasion in less than a year that Google has been judged to have maintained illegal monopolies, having previously been found responsible for stifling competition in search and search advertising. The U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema concluded that Google's monopolistic behavior harmed competitors and consumers alike by unfairly dominating the ad server and ad exchange markets. This case is part of broader antitrust efforts by the U.S. Justice Department, which, alongside several states, initiated the legal action in 2023. The prosecution argued that Google's strategies allowed it to charge elevated prices, harming competition and diverting profits to its considerable operating empire worth over $1.8 trillion. The stakes are substantially high given the scale of Google's influence on digital markets. The ramifications of the ruling could force Google to divest significant parts of its advertising business, including its $3.2 billion acquisition of DoubleClick in 2008, which is considered instrumental in establishing its dominance. The judge is set to oversee a separate trial to evaluate potential remedies, and there are calls for structural changes to address the anticompetitive behaviors identified. With separate lawsuits also targeting rival tech giants like Apple and Amazon, Google’s case reflects a growing trend among lawmakers and regulators to challenge and potentially dismantle monopolistic practices within Big Tech. Most notably, this legal momentum comes at a time when public sentiment is increasingly wary of the excessive power these companies retain over the economy and everyday life, particularly in the face of calls for greater regulation and scrutiny. As this legal battle is expected to persist for a considerable time, the future operational framework of Google and its advertising services hangs precariously in balance, which could redefine the landscape of digital advertising and competition moving forward.