Federal Judge Rules Google Violated Antitrust Laws, Harming Competition

A U.S. District Court has ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining illegal monopolies in the digital advertising technology sector, a decision praised by several state attorneys general who led the case. The court found Google used its dominant position to control online ad sales, extracting higher fees from advertisers and paying publishers less, ultimately harming competition, consumers, and web publishers. Judge Leonie Brinkema determined that Google's anticompetitive practices reduced market quality and made it harder for websites to offer free content. While the ruling is seen as a pivotal win against corporate power by state officials, some critics, such as the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, argue the judge took too narrow a view of the ad tech market and did not fully consider alternative transaction methods available to advertisers and publishers. Google has announced plans to appeal the decision, and a second phase of the trial will later determine remedies for Google's conduct. The case signals increasing regulatory scrutiny over major technology firms beyond just Google.