The Fate of Google’s Advertising Empire Will Be Decided by Year-End

Google and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have presented their closing arguments in the antitrust trial concerning Google’s alleged monopoly in online advertising. A decision by Judge Leonie Brinkema is expected by the end of 2024. If the monopoly is confirmed, a second trial will determine penalties.

Key Arguments:

DOJ: Google dominates three separate markets—ad-serving tools, ad exchanges, and advertiser networks. The prosecution claims products like DoubleClick and AdX are used to stifle competition.

Google: The company argues it operates in a single two-sided market, facing competition from Meta, TikTok, and others.

Deleted Chats: The DOJ has accused Google of destroying messages that could serve as evidence in the case.

What’s Next? The court’s decision will impact the entire digital advertising market and could lead to significant changes in how Google’s advertising business operates.