A United States federal judge has declared Google’s digital advertising practices illegal and abusive monopolist under antitrust law.
According to reports, Judge Leonie Brinkema of Virginia issued the ruling on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
She ruled that Google abused its dominant position in the digital ad industry to boost its profits unfairly.
The judgment marks the second time within a year that a U.S. court has labeled Google an abusive monopolist.
Recall that in August 2024, another ruling found that Google misused its search engine to block competition and stifle innovation.
Both decisions highlight growing legal pressure against the tech giant’s $1.8 trillion empire.
The U.S. Justice Department began its investigation into Google during Donald Trump’s presidency.
At first, regulators focused on the company’s search engine dominance.
Under President Joe Biden, the probe expanded in 2023 to cover Google’s digital advertising operations.
Regulators accused Google of illegally controlling both the buy and sell sides of the digital ad market.
They argued this control allowed Google to manipulate pricing and favor its own services.
The court agreed and confirmed Google’s actions harmed competition and advertisers.
Google has rejected the accusations and plans to appeal the ruling.
The company continues to invest heavily in artificial intelligence, despite ongoing legal challenges.
Analysts say these court victories give momentum to U.S. antitrust enforcement efforts.
They expect increased scrutiny of other tech giants with dominant market positions.
Penalty hearings in the ad case are expected later this year or early 2026.
Those hearings will determine the consequences Google must face for its antitrust violations.
In the earlier search case, penalty hearings start Monday in Washington, D.C.
Prosecutors will ask the court to impose harsh sanctions against Google.
One proposed sanction is forcing the company to sell off its Chrome browser.
Google has not yet released any official comment on Thursday’s ruling.
Legal experts expect the tech firm to challenge the decision vigorously.
It also claimed that the outcomes could reshape how digital markets operate in the U.S.
The case also raises questions about tech monopolies and their influence on modern economies.
Google now faces one of the toughest regulatory battles in its history.
