Federal judge rejects forced sale of Google's ad tech business

A federal judge in Virginia rejected the Department of Justice's proposal to force Google to sell its advertising technology business (AdX, or Google Ad Exchange) despite having previously found that Google maintained a monopoly on online advertising. Judge Leonie Brinkema's sealed decision allows Google to retain control of the ad exchange platform, which places ads sold in real-time auctions on publishers' websites. The judge indicated she would instead impose behavioral remedies rather than a structural remedy requiring divestiture, marking a significant limitation on the scope of penalties available to regulators in the antitrust case.

1. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema rejected the DOJ's proposal to force Google to sell AdX, Google's ad exchange platform.
2. The same judge had previously found in April 2025 that Google maintained a monopoly on online advertising.
3. The judge indicated she would accept most of the DOJ's previously proposed behavioral remedies instead of forcing a sale.
4. AdX is the platform where Google places ads sold in real-time auctions when users open publisher websites.
5. The ruling was initially sealed but a public memo indicated the judge's decision to reject the structural remedy.