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Google faces a landmark antitrust trial in Alexandria, Va., over online ads — Google will go to court this week facing perhaps its most significant antitrust power yet: the control that it exerts over the advertising and sales of digital advertisements. At the center of the case is Google’s ad exchange, known as AdX, in which publishers are charged a 20 percent fee by the tech giant to sell digital ads through instant auctions every time someone loads a webpage.

The DOJ argues that Google’s control of AdX gives it monopoly power and is pushing for the company to sell the platform while also making its auction system open source. This, they believe, would restore competition in the ad tech industry.

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DOJ vs Google: Opening Statements

During the trial’s opening, DOJ antitrust attorney Julia Tarver Wood said:

“Leaving Google with the motive and the means to recreate that tie is simply too great a risk.”

Wood emphasized that only a sale of AdX could ensure fair competition in the market.

In a statement, Google attorney Karen Dunn lambasted the DOJ’s recommendations as “radical and reckless.” She contended that ejecting Google from its own marketplace would hurt competition, not help it.

Google’s Defense and Alternative Proposal

Google has urged the judge to adopt a cautious approach, referencing a recent case in Washington, D.C., where most DOJ remedies against the company were rejected. However, the DOJ insists that the ad tech case is different, as Chrome was merely a distribution tool, while AdX lies at the center of Google’s alleged monopoly.

Instead of selling AdX, Google has offered policy changes that would make it easier for publishers to use alternative platforms. The DOJ, however, maintains that these adjustments are not enough to restore a level playing field.

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Interestingly, Google had previously offered to sell AdX during European Union antitrust investigations, and internal studies from that time may now play a role in the U.S. trial.

Why This Case Matters

Publishers, rival tech companies and regulators around the globe have closely followed this case since its start. Its outcome could reshape the online advertising industry as Google will need to either dismantle its lucrative ad tech business or keep it within new rules set in motion by this case. Meanwhile, all eyes remain focused on the Virginia courtroom as one of America's biggest antitrust battles begins.