Google Avoids Ad-Tech Breakup as Judge Orders Competition Changes
Google avoids an ad-tech breakup, but a federal judge orders competition-friendly changes as the sealed remedy ruling now awaits redactions for 14 days.
Summary
On September 2, 2026, Eastern District of Virginia Judge Leonie M. Brinkema rejected the Justice Department’s proposed breakup of Google’s advertising business. Google must instead change its practices to favor competitors, although the remedy provides no specifics. The full ruling remains sealed for 14 days for redactions. Brinkema found in April 2025 that Google had illegally maintained its ad-tech business; Wednesday’s decision addressed only the remedy.
The Justice Department filed separate antitrust cases targeting Google’s search dominance in 2020 and ad technology in 2023. A court declared Google’s search and lucrative search-ad operations illegal monopolies in 2024. In September 2025, Judge Amit Mehta rejected proposed divestitures of Chrome and Android, but ordered Google to end exclusive default-placement agreements and share certain search data with competitors. Google is appealing those remedies.
The government argued that exclusive agreements with device manufacturers made Google the default search engine across much of the global mobile market, while revenue-sharing deals paid carriers a portion of advertising income for retaining that default, reinforcing Google’s advertising dominance. Google regulatory affairs vice president Lee-Anne Mulholland welcomed Brinkema’s rejection of a breakup, saying the preserved tools help small businesses find customers and grow.
Positives
- Google retains its advertising business after Brinkema rejected the Justice Department’s proposed breakup.
- Court-ordered practice changes are intended to give Google’s ad-tech competitors greater opportunity.
- Chrome and Android remain under Google ownership following Amit Mehta’s September 2025 remedy ruling.
- Google says preserving its advertising tools helps small businesses reach new customers and grow.
Risks & concerns
- Brinkema’s April 2025 finding concluded that Google illegally maintained its ad-tech business.
- A 2024 ruling declared Google’s search and search-ad operations illegal monopolies.
- Brinkema’s remedy lacks specifics, leaving the scope and practical effect of Google’s required changes unclear.
- Google is appealing orders to end exclusive search-default deals and share certain search data with competitors.
- Manufacturer exclusivity and carrier revenue-sharing agreements reinforced Google’s default status and advertising dominance across mobile markets.