The Department of Justice says it will conduct new interviews in its investigation into Google’s Ads Technology
In recent weeks, the Justice Department has conducted new interviews to investigate Google’s ad technology, a sign it may be moving closer to filing a second antitrust lawsuit against the company. company, three people with knowledge of the matter said.
The Justice Department for more than a year has been investigating whether Google abused its dominance over affiliate technologies that deliver online advertising. Its lawyers are currently talking back to Google’s publishers and competitors to gather new material, confirm evidence and test its legal theory ahead of a possible lawsuit. out, who is not allowed to discuss confidential matters said.
A Justice Department spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bloomberg previous report meetings of the Ministry of Justice.
Peter Schottenfels, a Google spokesman, said: “Great competition in online advertising has made online advertising more relevant, reduced ad technology fees and expanded choices for publishers. and advertisers.
On August 31, the Southern District Court of New York, USA will hear Google’s motion to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit led by the State of Texas about the company’s advertising technology activities. By waiting for a ruling on that matter, the people said, Justice Department officials can see what the judge thinks about the antitrust claims before proceeding with their own case.
Texas argued in its case that Google acquired and abused its monopoly over the digital advertising industry to manipulate auctions and generate profits far greater than those of exchanges. competitor advertising. Those are also issues the Justice Department has been investigating, people familiar with the investigation said.
In 2020, Ministry of Justice File a lawsuit argued that Google violated antitrust laws by abusing its power over online search. Later that year, the attorney general of Texas and 9 other states file their own lawsuit focuses on Google’s control of the display ad technology ecosystem, used by publishers such as news outlets to sell ad space on their sites.
This summer, Google offered to settle the Justice Department’s investigation by turning its ad technology businesses into a separate unit within its parent company, Alphabet, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. knowledge of this offer, that is previous report of The Wall Street Journal. But the government was very skeptical of the offer, the person said.
Mr Schottenfels said that Google is “working constructively with regulators to address their concerns” and that “we have no plans to sell or exit this business”.
