The federal competition watchdog wants to penalize the tech giant and force it to sell two of its products that sell online ads and place them on internet sites. The bureau accuses Google of using illegal tactics to dominate the sector. The complaint “ignores the intense competition where ad buyers and sellers have plenty of choice,” Google’s vice-president of global ads, Dan Taylor, told The Logic in a written statement, adding that it looks forward to making its case in court. (The Logic)
Talking point: The bureau alleges Google has suppressed competition and innovation, driven up prices for advertisers and reduced revenues for publishers. It’s specifically asking the Competition Tribunal to order Google to sell its publisher ad server, DFP, and its ad exchange, AdX. The U.S. Department of Justice brought a similar case against Google in 2023, which reached closing arguments this week. In a separate proceeding, it’s trying to force Google to sell its Chrome browser business, after a judge found the company unlawfully dominates the search industry.