WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is intensifying its antitrust actions against Google by proposing the company divest two key components of its advertising technology business: the AdX ad exchange and the DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) platform. This proposal follows a federal judge’s April ruling that found Google had unlawfully maintained monopolistic control over the ad exchange and publisher ad server markets, violating the Sherman Antitrust Act.
DOJ’s Proposed Remedies:
- Divestiture of AdX and DFP: The DOJ recommends that Google be required to sell its AdX and DFP businesses to restore competition in the digital advertising market.
- Phased Implementation: The DOJ suggests a phased approach, initially requiring Google to develop APIs and data export capabilities, followed by open-sourcing its ad auction code, and ultimately separating DFP entirely.
- Operational Restrictions: The DOJ also proposes banning Google from operating an ad exchange for 10 years and preventing the misuse of proprietary data from services like YouTube and Gmail to gain competitive advantages.
Google’s Response:
Google opposes the DOJ’s divestiture proposal, arguing that such actions are not technically feasible due to the integration of AdX and DFP into its proprietary infrastructure. The company contends that divestiture would require developing new versions of these platforms capable of operating outside Google’s systems.
Instead, Google proposes behavioral remedies, such as making real-time bids available to all rival publisher ad servers, to address the court’s concerns and restore competition.
A trial to evaluate potential remedies is scheduled for September 22, 2025. During this trial, the court will consider the DOJ’s proposed structural changes versus Google’s suggested behavioral remedies.
This case is part of a series of antitrust challenges facing Google. In a separate case, the DOJ is seeking the divestiture of Google’s Chrome browser due to monopolistic practices in the search engine market.
Despite these legal challenges, Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., remains financially robust, with a market value of approximately $2 trillion and reported $265 billion in annual revenue.
The outcome of these proceedings could lead to significant restructuring of Google’s business operations and set precedents for antitrust enforcement in the technology sector.
