Google avoids ad-business breakup but must change practices to aid rivals

A US judge ruled Wednesday that Google will not be forced to break up its advertising business, instead requiring the company to adjust its operations to benefit competitors. The decision follows a 2023 Justice Department lawsuit targeting Google's ad-technology dominance. Judge Leonie M. Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia said Google can keep its ad business but must change practices to favor rivals, though specifics were not provided. The full ruling remains sealed for 14 days. This follows a September 2025 decision allowing Google to keep Chrome and Android. The government had argued Google used exclusive default-search deals with device makers and revenue-sharing agreements with carriers to cement its ad dominance. Google called the outcome a win, with regulatory affairs VP Lee-Anne Mulholland saying the court rejected proposals to break apart tools helping small businesses.