A federal judge has denied a request from the Department of Justice to compel Google to divest its advertising exchange platform, AdX. This decision permits Google to retain a crucial component of its advertising technology business, despite concerns about its market dominance. Judge Leonie Brinkema’s ruling comes on the heels of a 2025 decision that determined Google had unlawfully preserved monopolies in the sectors of publisher ad servers and advertising exchanges.
While the judge approved most of the proposed limitations on Google’s conduct, she stopped short of ordering the divestiture of AdX. The Justice Department, alongside several U.S. states, had contended that Google’s historical actions warranted the company relinquishing control of AdX. However, Google resisted this move, arguing that separating the platform would pose technical challenges and potentially disrupt services for its customers.
This ruling signals another hurdle for U.S. antitrust authorities striving to dismantle major technology firms. Previous attempts to enforce asset sales on other big tech companies have similarly fallen short, highlighting the complexities involved in regulating these digital giants.
Ultimately, the decision allows Google to maintain its hold on its advertising exchange, albeit with the imposition of behavioral measures designed to address competition issues and improve its interactions with publishers.