Google is fighting a new DOJ bid to break up another part of its empire

The US government recently had a second opportunity to challenge Google’s dominance in the online advertising market. In a hearing on Friday, Judge Leonie Brinkema set a “remedies” trial date for September 22 to address the Justice Department’s efforts to break up Google’s ad tech monopoly.

This trial comes on the heels of a previous ruling by US District Judge Amit Mehta, who found Google guilty of monopolizing the general search engine market and text market. Now, the government is seeking divestments of Google’s Chrome browser and Android operating system, as well as limitations on its use of artificial intelligence tools.

In the ad tech monopoly case, Judge Brinkema sided with the DOJ and 17 state attorneys general, ruling that Google had engaged in illegal tactics to stifle competition in the online advertising markets. This ruling granted the judge the authority to consider structural remedies, such as divestments.

Specifically, the DOJ argues that Google should spin off its Ad Manager suite, which includes DoubleClick for Publishers and Google Ad Exchange. Google attempted to prevent divestitures, but the judge rejected this request, raising the stakes for the tech giant as it navigates multiple antitrust challenges.

During the hearing, Judge Brinkema expressed concerns about the potential negative impact of overly aggressive remedies, noting that the wrong approach could harm publishers and advertisers. Google’s vice president for regulatory affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, criticized the DOJ’s proposals, stating that they went beyond the court’s findings and would harm industry stakeholders.

Google’s lawyers have argued against divestitures, suggesting that the focus should be on changing how the company operates rather than breaking up its businesses. They highlighted that the acquisitions in question were previously approved by the Federal Trade Commission in 2007.

Ultimately, the government aims to address Google’s consolidation of advertising technologies that reinforce its monopoly power. While the outcome of the trial remains uncertain, it is clear that the tech giant faces significant challenges in its efforts to maintain its market dominance.

For more updates on this ongoing legal battle and other technology news impacting the stock market, stay tuned to Yahoo Finance.