Google headquarters pictured as the DOJ and eight states sue the search giant for its dominance in online advertising.
James Martin/CNET
The US Department of Justice and eight states on Tuesday sued Google over its ads business alleging it engages in monopolistic behavior.
The complaint, filed in federal court in Virginia, alleges that Google has “corrupted legitimate competition in the ad tech industry” through a campaign of seizing control of tools and inserting “itself into all aspects of the digital advertising marketplace.” Google allegedly has done so by eliminating competition through acquisitions and used its dominance to push advertisers to use its products over those of others.
The DOJ also said that Google disadvantages websites that “dare to use competing ad tech products” and uses its dominance in ad technology to “funnel more transactions to its own ad tech products where it extracts inflated fees to line its own pockets at the expense of the advertisers and publishers it purportedly serves.”
Google and the Department of Justice didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
This is a developing story.
Artificial Intelligence and data centers have been blamed for rising electricity costs across the U.S.…
The Super Bowl is not only the biggest sporting event of the year, but it…
Since news broke in late January that TikTok's U.S. operations would move under American-led ownership,…
Losing the ability to speak clearly after a stroke can feel devastating. For many survivors,…
Tax season already brings stress. In 2026, it brings added confusion. Changes to tax filing…
Cargo theft is no longer just about stolen trucks and forged paperwork. Over the past…