U.S v. Google: Digital Advertising Markets

Case Study

On January 24, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated an antitrust complaint against Google LLC, alleging that the company has monopolized the digital advertising market. On April 17, 2025, the court ruled that Google had indeed gained a monopoly over both the publisher ad server market and the ad exchange market. Furthermore, the court established that Google had illegally linked its products in these two markets, effectively shutting out competitors. The reduction in competition allowed Google to raise prices and lower quality in these markets. This article will explore the economic implications of this litigation against Google.