Google has avoided a major breakup of its advertising business after a US federal judge rejected the government’s push to force the tech giant to sell parts of its ad-tech operations. Instead, Judge Leonie M. Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia ordered Google to change some of its business practices in ways designed to give competitors a better chance in the digital advertising market.
The decision comes after years of legal battles between Google and the US Department of Justice over the company’s dominance in search and online advertising. Courts have previously found Google’s search business and ad-tech operations to be illegal monopolies, putting increased pressure on the company to change how it conducts business. The latest ruling, however, stops short of the kind of structural breakup that government officials had sought.
Google has faced similar pressure over its Chrome browser and Android operating system. Following a 2024 ruling against its search business, the Justice Department proposed measures that included forcing Google to divest Chrome and Android. However, Judge Amit Mehta rejected those divestiture demands in September 2025, while ordering Google to end certain exclusive default-placement agreements and share some search data with competitors.
For Google, the latest ruling represents a significant relief, particularly as the company will be allowed to retain its advertising business. Google’s Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, described the decision as a positive outcome, arguing that breaking apart the company’s advertising tools could hurt small businesses that depend on them to reach customers and grow. However, the exact changes Google will have to make remain unclear, as the judge’s full written ruling will stay under seal for 14 days to allow for necessary redactions.
The case also highlights the growing battle over control of the digital advertising industry, an ecosystem that can be difficult for consumers and businesses to navigate. US authorities have argued that Google strengthened its position through exclusive agreements with device manufacturers and revenue-sharing deals with mobile carriers, helping make its search engine the default option on millions of devices. While Google has escaped an outright breakup for now, the latest ruling could still reshape how the company competes in the advertising market.
source: techcrunch
