Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Judge Orders Google Ad Tech Changes, Rejects Breakup
A federal judge found that Google used unfair practices in some parts of online advertising.
Online advertising is how websites sell spaces for companies’ messages.
The judge said Google must change some rules for buying and selling those ads.
Websites using Google’s ad server will not have to use Google’s AdX marketplace as well.
Google must also appoint a monitor to check whether it follows antitrust rules.
The Justice Department wanted Google to sell AdX, but the judge said that was not necessary.
She said other companies should be able to access AdX bidding information instead.
The changes will last for six years.
Google disagrees with part of the ruling and plans to appeal.
Judge Leonie Brinkema found Google maintained an illegal monopoly in parts of online advertising technology.
Google must relax ad auction rules and stop requiring publishers to use AdX with its ad server.
The company must appoint an internal antitrust compliance monitor, with the remedies lasting six years.
Brinkema rejected the Justice Department’s request to force Google to sell AdX, saying access to real-time bids could restore competition.
Google disagreed with the ruling involving Google Ad Manager and said it will appeal.
- Who
- US District Judge Leonie Brinkema, Google, the US Department of Justice, and states that joined the lawsuit.
- What
- The judge ordered changes to Google’s online advertising practices and an internal antitrust compliance monitor, while rejecting a forced breakup or AdX sale.
- When
- The decision was unsealed on Wednesday, two weeks after the judge rejected the Justice Department’s proposed breakup; the underlying liability finding was issued in April 2025.
- Where
- The case was decided in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.
- Why
- Brinkema found that Google maintained an illegal monopoly in parts of online advertising technology and said the remedies were needed to restore competition and prevent further anticompetitive conduct.
Government and Court Remedy
Google’s Objections
Whether Google should sell AdX
Government and Court Remedy
The Justice Department sought a sale of AdX, arguing that Google could not be trusted to operate it and that divestiture was needed to restore competition.
Google’s Objections
Google opposed divestiture, saying breaking up the business would make it harder for small businesses to reach customers.
How to restore competition
Government and Court Remedy
Brinkema said access to AdX’s real-time bids through other publisher ad servers, along with changes to Google’s practices and a compliance monitor, could reopen the affected markets to competition.
Google’s Objections
Google disagreed with the ruling concerning its Google Ad Manager publishing tool and plans to appeal.
Length of the remedies
Government and Court Remedy
The Justice Department and participating states sought requirements lasting 15 years.
Google’s Objections
The court imposed a six-year period rather than the longer duration sought by the government.
- Judge
- US District Judge Leonie Brinkema
- Company
- Google, an Alphabet unit
- Decision length
- The remedies were detailed in a 106-page decision.
- Required changes
- Google must relax ad auction rules and stop tying its ad server to AdX.
- Compliance monitor
- Google must appoint an internal antitrust compliance monitor.
- Remedy duration
- The changes must remain in place for six years.
- Rejected remedy
- The judge rejected the Justice Department’s demand that Google sell AdX.
- Google’s response
- Google disagreed with the ruling involving Google Ad Manager and said it will appeal.
