ALEXANDRIA, VA — The U.S. Department of Justice scored a major legal victory Thursday as a federal court ruled that Google illegally monopolized digital advertising markets, marking the second successful monopolization case against the tech giant.

Following a 15-day trial held in September 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia found that Google’s dominance in the open-web ad tech market violated federal antitrust laws. The ruling determined that Google’s conduct “harmed Google’s publishing customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web.”

Filed in January 2023, the DOJ’s lawsuit — joined by multiple state attorneys general and the Commonwealth of Virginia — accused Google of leveraging its control over key digital advertising technologies, known collectively as the “ad tech stack,” to suppress competition for more than 15 years.

“This is a landmark victory in the ongoing fight to stop Google from monopolizing the digital public square,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue taking bold legal action to protect the American people from encroachments on free speech and free markets by tech companies.”

Court finds long-term harm to competition and consumers

Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater, who leads the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, said the ruling affirms the department’s claims that Google used its monopoly power not only to stifle rivals but also to “censor and even deplatform American voices.”

“Google’s unlawful dominance allows them to censor and even deplatform American voices. And at the same time, Google destroyed and hid information that exposed its illegal conduct,” Slater said. “Today’s opinion confirms Google’s controlling hand over online advertising and, increasingly, the internet itself.”

The DOJ’s case focused on Google’s control of the digital advertising pipeline — from ad buying to ad placement — and alleged that the company systematically eliminated rivals through acquisitions and auction manipulation, creating a closed ecosystem that publishers and advertisers could not avoid.

Key Points

A federal court ruled that Google illegally monopolized digital advertising technologies used across the open web.
The DOJ alleged Google suppressed competition for over 15 years through acquisitions and auction manipulation.
This is the second successful monopolization case the DOJ has brought against Google.

The Justice Department says Thursday’s decision marks a major step toward restoring competition and transparency to the online advertising marketplace.

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