Google begins its battle for the ‘unofficial currency of the internet’

Google Faces Antitrust Lawsuit for Alleged Monopolistic Practices in Ad Tech Industry The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused Google of operating an illegal monopoly in two ad tech markets and unlawfully tying its products together, giving it a "massive head start" over rivals. In the opening arguments of the remedies trial for the US v. Google ad tech case, the DOJ argued that nothing short of a breakup of Google's ad tech business will suffice to overcome its dominant position. The DOJ attorney quoted Winston Churchill's warning that "those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it," suggesting that Google's alleged monopolistic practices need to be addressed to prevent further harm to the open internet. The government claims that Google has spent a decade sharpening its "weapons" in the ad tech industry, which sustains large swaths of the open internet. The case highlights the ongoing battle between tech giants and antitrust regulators, as governments seek to ensure a fair and competitive digital landscape.