Judge Sets May Hearing to Weigh Antitrust Remedies Against Google

A federal judge has scheduled a hearing for May 2 to explore potential remedies the U.S. Justice Department and a coalition of states may seek to impose on Google following a major antitrust ruling earlier this month. According to Reuters, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema intends for the hearing to provide an early overview of the types of measures under consideration before honing in on specific actions.

The hearing follows Brinkema’s April 17 decision that found Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., unlawfully maintained monopolistic control over key segments of the online advertising technology industry. In her ruling, Brinkema determined that Google had “willfully acquired and maintained monopoly power” in both the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets, per Reuters.

Both Google and the Justice Department declined to immediately comment on the latest developments, Reuters reported.

Related: Google to Appeal Partial Ruling in DOJ Antitrust Case

Judge Brinkema had overseen a non-jury trial in 2023 before issuing her opinion, setting the stage for a potentially significant restructuring of Google’s advertising business. Possible remedies could include compelling Google to divest parts of its operations to restore competition, although no final decisions have been made.

This case marks the second major court finding that Google engaged in illegal monopolistic practices. In a separate lawsuit in Washington, D.C., U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled in August 2024 that Google unlawfully leveraged exclusive agreements with Samsung Electronics and other partners to solidify its dominance in the search engine market, according to Reuters.

Judge Mehta is now considering whether Google should be required to divest its Chrome browser as a corrective measure to reinvigorate competition in the search sector. Google, for its part, has not made Chrome available for sale and has consistently denied allegations in both lawsuits. The company has stated its intention to appeal both rulings, asserting that it does not hold illegal monopolies in either the search or advertising sectors.

Source: Reuters