Justice Department files antitrust lawsuit against Google for allegedly monopolizing digital ads

The Justice Department on Tuesday filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google for allegedly monopolizing digital advertising products across the internet. 

"We allege that Google has captured publishers' revenue for its own profits and punished publishers who sought out alternatives. Those actions have weakened the free and open internet and increased advertising costs for businesses and for the United States government, including for our military," Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said.

For 15 years, Google has participated in "anticompetitive and exclusionary conduct" by eliminating competitors in online advertising, the Justice Department said.

Nearly every major website publisher uses Google's digital tool to sell online ads. As a result of Google's monopoly, the tech giant is able to earn 30% of the ad revenue paid through its advertising products, the government said.

The Justice Department's lawsuit is joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Virginia. 

Google faced another civil antitrust lawsuit from the government in 2020 for allegedly monopolizing searches and search advertising. The trial for that case is scheduled for September 2023.