US v. Google redux: all the news from the ad tech trial

On April 17th, 2025, Judge Brinkema ruled that Google did act illegally to acquire and maintain monopoly power in online advertising. Now, DOJ and Google lawyers are returning to the courtroom to argue over whether this should lead to a Google breakup by forcing the company to sell its AdX exchange.

In the initial trial, the DOJ argued that Google unfairly locked up the market for ad tech tools that publishers and advertisers rely on to monetize their websites and market their goods. Google responded that it created efficient products that work well for customers and said it faced plenty of competition.

Read on below for all of the updates and notes from the case.

• The judge tasked with deciding Google’s fate would rather not
• The Google ad tech case is the kind that “ought to settle,” judge says.
• Who will monitor the Google’s compliance?
• Google’s technical expert warns DOJ’s proposals create a “huge issue.”
• Daily Mail executive warns of a “drag” on Google competitors without a break up.
• Breaking up (Google) is hard to do
• DOJ will continue its rebuttal on Monday.
• Google’s anticompetitive behavior “was always a moving target.”
• Google is destroying independent websites, and one sees no choice but to defend it anyway
• Should remedies remove Google’s monopoly power?
• Vibe coding won’t help move AdX from Google.
• WikiHow CEO says Google’s ad tech helps it survive the “AI apocalypse” its search tools helped create.
• AT&T’s breakup looms large.
• Divestitures often fail, Google expert says.
• Google defense continues on through the government shutdown.
• Judge points out the “two elephants in the room.”
• Rival ad exchange CEO doesn’t know if he’d buy AdX.
• Is Google dragging its feet to fix a bug that hurts a rival?
• A break up could plummet open web display advertising.
• “Going to the moon is simpler than going to Mars.”
• Judge considers whether remedies should account for publisher size.
• The government wants an “extremely onerous” break up, witness alleges.
• Google begins its defense.
• A French regulator’s attempt to open ad tech competition failed.
• Judge wants to hear how Google complied with French ad tech remedies.
• Week two of trial kicks off.
• Can Google be trusted without a break up?
• “I never considered that someone would spend billions of dollars and toss it down the drain.”
• Moving a fully divested AdX isn’t as hard as Google made it sound.
• Migrating AdX to a new owner would take up to 18 months.
• AdX’s survival isn’t a big concern for publishers.
• Google’s proposal “doesn’t make any sense.”
• “It might be easier to just shut down AdX.”
• Google exec accuses DOJ of spinning a “burden” for publishers as a “choice.”
• Google considered shutting down AdX.
• Google muddies the waters about the feasibility of a break up.
• The devil is in the details.
• Splitting up Google’s ad tech tools is technically feasible, DOJ witness says.
• Google’s ad tools would be attractive to buyers, M&A witness says.
• What if we could just trust Google?
• Day 3 of trial kicks off.
• Judge wants to hear how a break up would work.
• AI hasn’t disrupted Google’s ad tech monopoly.
• ‘I’m hopeful for the first time in a long time.’
• Witnesses disagree on how much of Google’s ad tech a buyer should be able to own.
• Transparency is key.
• Government witnesses want it to go even further with a Google break up.
• Advertiser witness warns of short-term pain if Google were forced to sell AdX.
• Google rivals line up as potential buyers for its ad tech.
• We’re back for day 2 of the Google ad tech remedies trial.
• Google begins its battle for the ‘unofficial currency of the internet’
• Google competitor calls its remedies proposal “disingenuous.”
• Publishers have no viable alternatives to Google, witness testifies.
• Google calls DOJ’s proposals “radical and reckless.”
• DOJ seeks to remove Google’s “massive head start” in ad tech.
• DOJ antitrust chief praises Google ad tech court’s efficiency.
• We’re at the courthouse where Google is fighting another break up attempt.
• The US government is taking a second stab at breaking up Google
• DOJ asks court to split up Google’s ad tech empire
• Google is in more danger than ever of being broken up
• Google loses ad tech monopoly case
• Google and the DOJ make their final arguments in the ad tech monopoly case
• Google’s empire is under siege
• Tech critics want a Google exec punished for deleted chats
• Google is replacing the exec in charge of Search and ads
• How Google tried to unravel the DOJ’s ad tech case
• Google and the DOJ are out of court until November 25th.
• Google says a closed ad ecosystem isn’t anticompetitive — it’s just safer
• How Google made the ad tech industry revolve around itself
• TL;DR on the DOJ’s ad tech antitrust trial against Google.
• Why Google is back in court for another monopoly showdown
• Google employees’ attempts to hide messages from investigators might backfire
• In US v. Google, YouTube’s CEO defends the Google way
• How Google got away with charging publishers more than anyone else
• How Google altered a deal with publishers who couldn’t say no
• Google dominates online ads, says antitrust trial witness, but publishers are feeling ‘stuck’
• Google’s ad server is “slow and clunky” — but virtually everybody uses it.
• Day 2 of the Google-DOJ antitrust trial begins.
• Google and the DOJ’s ad tech fight is all about control
• Google and the Justice Department have made their opening salvos in court.
• The Google ad tech trial is kicking off this morning.
• Google and DOJ return for round two of their antitrust fight — this time about ads