The Google advertising technology monopoly case enters remedial hearings, and the judge will assess whether to enforce the divestiture of AdX
A U.S. district judge will preside over a remedial hearing in Virginia regarding Google's online advertising monopoly case, assessing whether to force the divestiture of its advertising trading platform AdX. Google is accused of monopolistic behavior in the advertising publisher and trading market, violating antitrust laws. A Google vice president stated that the Department of Justice's divestiture proposal misunderstands the operational mechanisms of digital advertising and that effective remedial measures need to be established
According to the Zhitong Finance APP, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema will hold a hearing in the next two weeks in Alexandria, Virginia, regarding Google's (GOOGL.US) online advertising monopoly case (remedial phase). At that time, Google employees, external advertisers, publishers, and industry experts will provide testimony to assist the court in evaluating the remedies for Google's anti-competitive behavior.
Previously, Judge Brinkema ruled in April of this year that Google had engaged in monopolistic behavior in the online advertising technology fields of the advertising publisher market and the advertising trading market. The court found that Google dominated the online advertising space through its illegal strong position in these two markets, violating antitrust laws.
Currently, Google's advertising business includes services for marketers to purchase ads, services for publishers to sell ads, and an advertising trading platform where transactions are completed through auctions.
The U.S. Department of Justice is pushing the court to force Google to sell its advertising trading platform AdX. Although Google had previously considered divesting its advertising technology business to address antitrust pressures in Europe and the U.S., the divestiture proposal put forth by the Department of Justice is destructive.
In response, Google's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Muehling, stated that the Department of Justice's lawsuit misunderstands the mechanisms of digital advertising operations and overlooks the changes in market dynamics brought about by intensified competition and the emergence of new entrants in recent years. She emphasized that in the current market environment, remedies must be developed that address the issues without disrupting existing mechanisms, and Google will actively defend its position in court
