US judge rejects bid to break up Google’s ad business

Justice Department had argued Google could not be trusted to run the online advertising exchange.Published On 2 Sep 20262 Sep 2026Alphabet’s Google has escaped a breakup of its advertising technology business, marking the third time in recent years that United States antitrust enforcers have tried to force a Big Tech breakup and lost.US Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday declined to make Google sell AdX, where publishers pay Google a 20 percent fee to sell ads in auctions that happen instantly when users load websites.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Argentina serves up a Messi-shaped schnitzel as fans say goodbyelist 2 of 4Can Ukraine’s drones shut Russian airspace? What that means for airlineslist 3 of 4Uber lays off 3,300 employees in largest cuts since the pandemiclist 4 of 4US oil giant Chevron to expand Venezuela operationsend of listThe US Department of Justice (DOJ) had argued Google could not be trusted to run the online advertising exchange after Brinkema ruled that Google had illegally quashed competition.The judge accepted behavioural remedies.The reasoning behind today’s decision was not immediately made public.Brinkema filed her o...