Google Faces Ad Tech Monopoly Hearing: What to Know

Google faces a court hearing on Sept. 22 to determine whether it should be forced to sell tools used to maintain a monopoly over advertising technology. The US government alleges Google illegally sought to squelch competition in the ad tech market. A federal judge in April ruled that Google had monopolized two markets: advertising exchanges and ad servers. The case marks the biggest effort to challenge a single company's grip on an industry in over two decades.

Google LLC is set to face a crucial court hearing on September 22, 2025, where a federal judge will determine whether the tech giant should be forced to sell tools that allegedly maintain its monopoly over advertising technology. The hearing comes in response to a lawsuit filed by Magnite Inc. against Google, alleging that the company engaged in anticompetitive conduct to monopolize digital advertising markets Magnite files antitrust lawsuit against Google following court monopoly ruling^[1].

Magnite, an independent ad exchange company, has accused Google of using its dominant position in the market to stifle competition. The lawsuit, filed on September 16, 2025, claims that Google's practices have caused substantial harm to Magnite over the past decade. The complaint alleges violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act through unlawful monopolization and tying arrangements Magnite files antitrust lawsuit against Google following court monopoly ruling^[1].

The lawsuit is a direct response to a ruling by Judge Leonie Brinkema in the Eastern District of Virginia, who found that Google "willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power" in publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising Magnite files antitrust lawsuit against Google following court monopoly ruling^[1]. The complaint details specific practices such as "First Look," which gave Google's AdX exchange preferential access to ad impressions, and "Last Look," which allowed Google to see competitors' bids and win auctions by minimal amounts Magnite files antitrust lawsuit against Google following court monopoly ruling^[1].

Google's conduct, according to the complaint, was driven by economic incentives rather than technical limitations. The company used its search monopoly to create artificial scarcity around advertiser demand and control access to publisher inventory, making its ad exchange the exclusive platform for AdWords advertisers Magnite files antitrust lawsuit against Google following court monopoly ruling^[1].

The lawsuit seeks treble damages under federal antitrust law, which could potentially reach hundreds of millions of dollars when applied to more than a decade of allegedly monopolistic conduct. Magnite must demonstrate both actual damages from lost business opportunities and the causal connection between Google's specific anticompetitive practices and financial harm Magnite files antitrust lawsuit against Google following court monopoly ruling^[1].

The case marks a significant effort to challenge a single company's grip on an industry, with the federal government alleging that Google illegally sought to squelch competition in the ad tech market. The outcome of this hearing could have far-reaching implications for the tech industry and the broader economy.