Google should relax ad tech rules, appoint antitrust monitor, US judge finds

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, gave her assessment in a decision unsealed on Wednesday, two weeks after she rejected the U.S. Department of Justice's insistence that Google break up its business of placing ads across the internet.

The government had wanted Google to sell AdX, where publishers pay a 20 per cent fee to sell ads in auctions that happen instantly when users load websites, claiming Google could not be trusted to run it.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less The remedies "will be sufficient to effectively pry open to competition the ad tech markets that were injured by Google’s unlawful conduct, and prevent Google from reverting to anticompetitive conduct in these markets," Brinkema wrote in her 106-page decision. Changes must remain in place for six years, not the 15 years sought by the Justice Department and various states that also sued. Google had no immediate comment. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Brinkema issued her bottom-line decision on September 2, but gave both sides 14 days to seek redactions of confidential information from her written decision.

The remedies "will be sufficient to effectively pry open to competition the ad tech markets that were injured by Google’s unlawful conduct, and prevent Google from reverting to anticompetitive conduct in these markets," Brinkema wrote in her 106-page decision.

Changes must remain in place for six years, not the 15 years sought by the Justice Department and various states that also sued.

Google had no immediate comment. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Brinkema issued her bottom-line decision on September 2, but gave both sides 14 days to seek redactions of confidential information from her written decision.

Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app