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Google Faces Legal Showdowns in UK and US Over Alleged Monopoly Practices

A US judge has ruled Google illegally monopolized ad tech markets, while a £5 billion UK class action accuses the company of abusing its search advertising dominance.

People walk next to a Google logo during a trade fair in Hannover Messe, in Hanover, Germany, April 22, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo
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Overview

  • US District Judge Leonie Brinkema found Google violated antitrust laws by monopolizing publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, setting the stage for potential remedies including forced divestitures.
  • The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal is now handling a £5 billion class action led by Dr. Or Brook, alleging Google inflated search ad prices and suppressed competition through exclusive deals and pre-installation agreements.
  • The US Department of Justice has proposed that Google divest its Google Ad Manager, which includes its ad exchange and publisher ad server, to restore competition in digital advertising.
  • Google has dismissed the UK lawsuit as speculative and vowed to contest it, while facing mounting legal scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions, including a separate US trial over search dominance.
  • These cases represent a significant escalation in global antitrust efforts targeting Big Tech, with regulators and courts exploring structural remedies to curb Google's market power.