Alphabet’s Google is facing a pivotal moment in its long-running antitrust battle with the U.S. government. As the remedy phase of the trial concludes in Alexandria, Virginia, the tech giant is attempting to convince U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema not to order a breakup of its advertising technology operations.
Earlier this year, Judge Brinkema ruled that Google maintains two illegal monopolies in the digital advertising market. Specifically, she found that Google’s control over both the buy-side and sell-side ad tech tools — including its AdX exchange, where publishers pay Google a 20% fee to auction ads in real time — stifles competition.
The DOJ and several states have argued that the only effective remedy is for Google to divest AdX and related businesses, thereby dismantling its vertically integrated dominance. They labeled Google a “recidivist monopolist,” insisting that structural separation is necessary to restore fair competition.
Google, however, has warned that such a breakup would cause major disruption to the digital advertising ecosystem, which processes 55 million ad requests per second. The company claims that forced divestiture would harm publishers, advertisers, and consumers alike, while undermining innovation.
This trial marks one of the most significant antitrust cases against Big Tech in recent years, part of a broader bipartisan crackdown that began during President Donald Trump’s first term. While Google has largely avoided severe penalties in past cases, the outcome here could reshape the $600 billion global digital advertising industry.
Judge Brinkema’s decision, expected in the coming months, will determine whether Google must restructure its ad business or adopt alternative remedies such as stricter oversight and transparency requirements.
