This request follows the closing arguments in the lawsuit targeting the digital advertising tools developed by Google and used by websites to sell advertising space.
The Department of Justice, supported by a number of U.S. states, asserts that Google has cemented an illegal dominance over the online advertising market, exploiting its growing influence over the past ten years.
The accusations indicate that Google controls vital aspects of the sector, from platforms for selling advertising space to transaction systems, giving it broad power over advertising demand. The judge is expected to issue a ruling in the coming months.
Assistant Attorney General, Gail Slater, stated via the “X” platform that addressing this imbalance requires dismantling the monopoly and opening the door to new competitors, considering this the most effective solution to restore balance to the market.
In contrast, Google confirmed that this proposal represents an overreach of authority and threatens the stability of the sector, emphasizing that its tools provide innovation and efficiency, and that separating its technical activities is practically impossible.
This is the second antitrust case filed against the company this year. Last September, a federal judge rejected a similar request from the Department of Justice to separate the search engine from the rest of the company’s services.
These moves fall within a broader governmental attempt to revitalize competition in the digital sector, but without major breakthroughs so far.
The search engine is the main source of Google’s revenue, with its parent company, Alphabet, announcing a significant increase in third-quarter revenues to exceed $102 billion, including $35 billion in net income during the same period.
(AFP + Reuters)
