EU Takes Aim at Google's Ad Business with Antitrust Charges
The European Commission has sent Google a statement of objections, detailing ad tech antitrust charges and explaining why breaking up Google's ad business may be the only acceptable remedy. The EC found that Google may have favored its own ad tech services when serving as an intermediary ad exchange, potentially distorting competition in the online advertising technology industry. Google's alleged self-preferencing practices include giving its own exchange, AdX, an unfair advantage over other ad exchanges when matching advertisers and publishers. The EC believes that breaking up Google's ad business may be necessary for the ad tech industry to remain fair.