US judge orders Google to ease ad auction rules

On Wednesday 16 September, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema of Alexandria, Virginia, issued a 106-page ruling requiring Google to ease rules governing its online advertising auctions and appoint an internal antitrust compliance monitor. The decision followed the judge's rejection, two weeks earlier, of the US Department of Justice demand that Alphabet break up its digital advertising business.

Judge Brinkema concluded in April 2025 that Google held an illegal monopoly over portions of ad tech. The government wanted Google to sell AdX, where publishers pay a 20% fee to sell ads in real-time auctions. While rejecting a sale, the court accepted remedies stopping Google from forcing websites that use its ad server to also use AdX, granting access to AdX real-time bids through rival ad servers, and ending lock-in practices. The remedies will remain in effect for six years, rather than the 15 years sought by the government and suing states.

Google stated that it disagrees with the ruling regarding Google Ad Manager and will appeal, arguing that a breakup would have harmed small businesses. Advertising accounted for roughly 73% of Alphabet's $408 billion in revenue last year, while global digital ad spending is projected in the ruling to rise from $424 billion in 2023 to $605 billion next year. Alphabet holds a market valuation above $4.1 trillion.

The court gave both parties 14 days to request redactions of confidential information and 30 days to submit a proposed final judgment detailing the remedies.