In 2025, regulators across the globe are taking decisive action against Google’s dominance in the ad tech ecosystem. With multibillion-euro fines, court rulings, and mounting pressure for structural remedies, the future of digital advertising is entering a new regulatory era. As a brand operating in this space, we’re closely watching what comes next and preparing for a more open, accountable market.
As we assess performance marketing opportunities across channels and ecosystems, one story continues to shape the future of digital advertising: the global antitrust offensive against Google’s ad tech stack.
In April 2025, a federal court in the U.S. found that Google violated antitrust laws by unlawfully maintaining monopolies in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets. The Department of Justice (DOJ), alongside 17 states, argued and the court agreed, that Google’s control over both the buy-side and sell-side of programmatic advertising gave it an unfair advantage. The trial’s second phase will now determine potential remedies, including the DOJ’s request to force Google to divest key components like AdX and Google Ad Manager.
In parallel, the European Commission delivered its final decision in September 2025, fining Google €2.95 billion (~$3.45 billion) for favoring its own ad exchange and restricting competition across the ad supply chain. Regulators concluded that Google systematically gave its own platforms advantages through self-preferencing and data asymmetries, to the detriment of publishers, advertisers, and competing exchanges.
The EU is demanding corrective behavioral changes within 90 days, and has warned that structural remedies, including the breakup of Google’s ad tech business, remain on the table if compliance fails.
Meanwhile, in the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued provisional findings that echo these concerns, finding Google has used its integrated ad stack to harm competition. Private publisher lawsuits in the UK have been greenlit to seek damages for lost ad revenues, and India’s competition watchdog is actively pursuing its own ad tech probe.
Together, these developments mark a pivotal moment for the global ad ecosystem.
Why This Matters to Us as a Brand
For years, the ad tech market has operated within a system where Google served as gatekeeper: owning the tools advertisers use to buy, the exchange where bids are placed, and the infrastructure publishers rely on to sell. This vertical integration created efficiency, but also opacity and potential conflicts of interest.
We’ve long adapted to this reality. But with regulatory enforcement accelerating, the landscape may soon open to new opportunities and greater transparency.
If structural separation proceeds – especially in the U.S. and EU – it could lead to:
- Greater choice in SSPs and DSPs
- Reduced platform fees for intermediated media
- Fairer auction dynamics
- More accurate attribution and data access for advertisers
- A shift in how we approach omnichannel buying and ad measurement
As a performance-driven advertiser, we welcome a more balanced ecosystem where data flows more freely and competition is restored. This means more power in the hands of brands and publishers, and more scrutiny on how every ad dollar is spent and optimized.
The Road Ahead
We’re not here to speculate on the legal process. But the message from global regulators is unified: Google’s dominance in ad tech must be re-evaluated. From the DOJ and European Commission to the CMA and CCI, the call is clear: restore fairness, ensure interoperability, and reduce systemic bias baked into ad infrastructure.
As these cases move through final remedies and appeals, we’re preparing for a more interoperable, transparent, and performance-aligned digital advertising environment. That’s good for competition and good for business.
