Google will not be forced to separate its technology and advertising sectors in the United States. Federal judge Leonie M. Brinkema made this decision after finding that the company used illicit methods to maintain control over the digital ad market.
The Department of Justice had requested that Google be forced to sell its advertising platform. However, Brinkema denied this request, opting instead to establish limitations on how the company manages the technologies used by websites to display advertisements, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
This ruling comes after an analysis conducted by the judge the previous year, which concluded that Google had been maintaining an illegal monopoly over the technology that influences the auctions defining ad display on the internet.
The lawsuit was initiated by the Department of Justice in January 2023, with allegations questioning the strategies adopted by Google to preserve its hegemonic position in digital advertising.
For the American government, the sale of the ad platform would be essential to reduce this power and allow greater access for new competitors to the market.
However, Brinkema chose an alternative path. Instead of ordering a sale, she decided that Google needs to change certain practices that, according to the Justice Department, harm competition and give the company excessive dominance over the functioning of its technology.
The full content of the ruling remains confidential for now, and the parties have been given time to remove sensitive data before official publication.
The possibility of business fragmentation also raised uncertainties during the trial. Brinkema questioned how long such a process would take, especially considering the potential appeal by Google.
There was also a logistical issue: who would take over the ad platform and have the capacity to manage it afterward?
The judge had already indicated that it would be more effective to require Google to abandon the conduct deemed illegal.
In summary, the central points of this case include the American authorities' offensive against the power of large technology corporations. In another lawsuit involving Google, Judge Amit Mehta found certain tactics used by the company to dominate search engines to be illegal, but did not impose broad changes to the business, taking into account the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in the market and user behavior.
Meta, owner of Facebook, faced a similar situation last year; a court rejected the attempt at a breakup after concluding that the growth of TikTok weakened the authorities' argument about the company's dominance in social media.
Currently, Google maintains its advertising technology operations but will be subject to the modifications imposed by the court.
The complete details will only be known after the decision is released. What is already established is that Google avoided the most drastic measure advocated by the government, but it will remain under restrictions in its activity in the online advertising market.