Digiday·2026-09-03

Why Google’s ad business escaped a breakup

Google’s immunity to breakup is starting to feel inevitable. Another attempt to force one has been written off. That’s despite the world’s largest advertising business being judged to have built that dominance on an illegal monopoly over online advertising. Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, ruled the company will answer instead through a str

Google’s immunity to breakup is starting to feel inevitable. Another attempt to force one has been written off. That’s despite the world’s largest advertising business being judged to have built that dominance on an illegal monopoly over online advertising. Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, ruled the company will answer instead through a str