Judge rules Google is violating antitrust laws

The court ruled the search giant holds a monopoly in digital advertising

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

April 17, 2025

Key Takeaways

• Google is one of the largest sellers of online advertising
• A federal judge rules Google holds a monopoly in that business
• Ruling comes as Meta faces antitrust allegations

Google is one of the largest sellers of digital advertising and a federal court has ruled that it violated antitrust laws as it acquired that status.

Judge Leonie Brinkema of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a ruling Thursday, finding that Google had unlawfully linked its publisher ad server together with its exchange, giving it monopoly power in the online ad marketplace.

Google sells ads on its search platform, as well as on YouTube, which it owns. In issuing the ruling, the judge left the door open on penalties and remedies, say those determinations will come later.

The ruling comes as another internet giant, Meta, faces a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, claiming it is an unlawful monopoly. The FTC charges Metas acquisition of Instagram was anticompetitive and harmful to consumers, a charge the company denies.

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