The Google Ads menu is shown on a device screen. Picture: 123RF/DIMARIK16
The lawsuit represents the Biden administration’s first major case challenging the power of one of the nation’s largest tech companies, after through on a probe that began under former president Donald Trump. It also marks one of the few times the justice department has called for the break-up of a major company since it dismantled the Bell telecom system in 1982.
The allegations in the suit mirror those brought by attorneys-general in 16 states plus Puerto Rico in 2020. That lawsuit is pending in New York federal court. These exchanges operate like online stock-trading platforms with an automated bidding process. Competitors and publishers have complained that Google leverages parts of this vast network, like its ad exchange, to benefit other areas and kneecap rivals. Google alone is expected to generate some $65.7bn in digital ad revenue in the US this year, representing about 26.5% of the market, while YouTube represents another 2.9%, according to eMarketer.