Google Avoids Ad-Tech Breakup, But New Rules Loom

This Wednesday, federal Judge Leonie M. Brinkema delivered a pivotal ruling in the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) 2023 antitrust lawsuit against Google's ad-technology business. The decision, handed down in the Eastern District of Virginia, marks a critical juncture in the ongoing legal battles defining the tech giant's future.

Crucially, Judge Brinkema ruled that Google does not have to sell its advertising business, a significant win for the tech giant against the DOJ's breakup demands. However, the ruling isn't a complete reprieve. Brinkema ordered Google to adjust its business practices to favor competitors, though The New York Times noted the ruling "did not provide specifics" on how these adjustments should be implemented.

This latest development follows a series of landmark judgments against Google. In 2024, a separate court ruled Google's search business, including its search-ad operation, was an illegal monopoly, stating Google had "exercised its monopoly power" to dominate the industry. Then, in April 2025, a second court affirmed Google's ad-tech business was also an illegal monopoly.

Previously, in September 2025, Judge Amit Mehta, overseeing the search antitrust case, rejected DOJ requests to divest Chrome and Android. Instead, Mehta ordered Google to end exclusive default-placement deals and share search data with competitors. Google is currently appealing these remedies, demonstrating their persistent fight against mandated changes.

Unsurprisingly, Google framed Wednesday's outcome as a win. Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, told TechCrunch, "We're very pleased the Court rejected the DOJ's proposal to break apart tools that help small businesses reach new customers and grow." The DOJ's case has consistently highlighted Google's use of exclusive agreements with device manufacturers and revenue-sharing deals with mobile carriers to maintain its default search engine status across much of the mobile market, practices that underpinned the monopoly findings.

The full written ruling from Judge Brinkema will remain under seal for 14 days, allowing for necessary redactions before the public can access the complete details of the mandated changes. The lack of specifics means the actual impact on Google's operations, and by extension, the creator economy reliant on its ad platforms, remains an open question for now. Creators and advertisers alike will be watching closely for the unsealed details.

[Original Source](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/02/google-spared-from-ad-business-breakup-but-judge-orders-changes-to-how-it-operates/)