DOJ and eight states file antitrust lawsuit against Google over digital advertising technology

The Department of Justice and eight states filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging the company unlawfully monopolized the digital advertising technology industry. The complaint alleges Google monopolized or attempted to monopolize three core markets. These markets include publisher ad servers, ad exchanges, and advertiser ad networks. The lawsuit argues Google eliminated competitors through acquisitions and used its market power to lock in publishers and advertisers. This was the DOJ's second major antitrust suit against Google, following the 2020 case over search practices.