A US judge has turned down the Department of Justice’s request to force Google to divest its advertising exchange, AdX, allowing the tech giant to retain a significant portion of its advertising technology operations. Judge Leonie Brinkema decided against ordering the sale of AdX but approved most of the proposed limitations on Google’s behavior. This decision comes on the heels of a 2025 ruling that concluded Google had unlawfully maintained monopolies in the markets for publisher ad servers and advertising exchanges.
The Justice Department, supported by several US states, had contended that due to Google’s previous conduct, the company should not continue to control AdX. Google, however, resisted the demand for a forced sale, arguing that separating the platform would present technical challenges and potentially disrupt services for their customers.
This ruling marks yet another setback for US antitrust authorities in their efforts to dismantle major technology companies. Previous cases targeting other large tech firms have also struggled to achieve mandatory asset sales, highlighting the challenges faced by regulators in enforcing antitrust measures against tech giants.
Despite the decision allowing Google to maintain ownership of its advertising exchange, the company will be subject to behavioral measures designed to address concerns regarding competition and its treatment of publishers. These measures aim to ensure a more competitive environment while keeping the structure of Google’s advertising business intact.