The long-running ad technology-focused monopoly case between Google and the US Department of Justice has reached a critical stage. As the hearings in which both sides present their final defenses are coming to an end, it is stated that Judge Leonie Brinkema, who presides over the court, wants to speed up the process. According to information shared by Reuters, the judge’s desire to operate the decision mechanism quickly aims to neutralize Google’s plan to delay possible sanctions through a potential appeal process.
In his decision in April, Judge Brinkema ruled that Google had a monopoly in the field of online advertising technologies. However, now, more concrete steps are expected on how and how soon the anti-competitive structure can be eliminated. It is reported that the court emphasized that “time is critical”. This raises the possibility of forced divestment of Google’s subsidiaries operating in the field of advertising technology.
Google is preparing to appeal against unbundling sanctions
In her statement in court, Google’s lawyer Karen Dunn claimed that selling the company’s advertising technologies unit would harm customers. Arguing that such a step was a disproportionate intervention, Dunn stated that Google would appeal this decision. According to Reuters, Judge Brinkema said that the appeal process would undermine the enforceability of any current unbundling decision. This is interpreted as a precaution against Google’s strategic moves to delay the decision.
On the other hand, Google faces similar legal pressures not only in the USA but also in Europe. It is known that the company is facing a $3.5 billion fine for violating the European Union’s competition laws regarding advertising technologies. These parallel processes show that the control in the global digital advertising market is tightening.
However, evaluations made by experts point out that the concentration in the ad technology market increases costs for both publishers and advertisers and also limits competition. There are opinions that the presence of big players, especially Google, on both the buyer and seller sides negatively affects market transparency.
There is an increasing possibility that the decision in the USA will bring about a significant restructuring of Google’s advertising activities. The timetable on which the process will proceed and to what extent Google’s appeal will affect the applications will become clear in the coming weeks. Combined with investigations in Europe, it seems likely that these legal pressures will lead Google to reconsider its global advertising strategies.