Shockwaves from the US District Court’s antitrust ruling against Google are still rippling through the adtech world, with senior industry figures predicting a seismic shift not just for Google but for the broader marketing and media economy.
The court’s Memorandum Opinion found Google guilty of monopolizing key online advertising markets by unlawfully tying its ad server (DFP) to its ad exchange (AdX). Remedies, including a potential breakup of Google’s adtech business, are now firmly on the table.
For Damian Rollison, senior director of market insights at SOCi, this is a watershed moment.
“Now that Google has been subject to adverse rulings in two antitrust cases, the earlier one focused on Chrome and several other Alphabet divisions, and the new ruling more narrowly on Google’s adtech business, this year will be one where Google’s fate hangs in the balance,” Rollison tells The Drum. “The company stands to lose a lot more in material terms if its ad business, long its main source of revenue, is broken up, whereas divisions like Chrome are more strategically important.”
He adds: “As with Meta’s similar antitrust battle, we see that big tech is facing a reckoning this year as regulators get serious about its outsized influence in our economy and our cultural life. However, the remedies of forced divestiture are blunt instruments that may not achieve the desired ends. Better regulation of the kind that is more highly developed in Europe, that protects consumer rights and increases the responsibility of big tech over its content and influence, would be felt by consumers as having a more meaningful impact.”
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Rollison’s point reflects a growing tension: whether structural breakups will create meaningful competition or whether deeper regulatory reforms are needed to address the real power imbalance.
Meanwhile, inside ad land, the ruling is already causing soul-searching among marketers. One senior adtech executive, who asked not to be named, told The Drum: “If you’re a marketer, this ruling should make you pause. Because if Google’s ad stack was a rigged game – where they owned the chips, the table and the pit bosses – what did you really get for your money?”
They continued: “This isn’t just a high-level antitrust story. It’s a warning shot across every walled garden. Expect renewed pressure on CMOs and procurement teams to justify platform spend, and for alternatives like StackAdapt and independent AdTech to see a bump. Marketers have been sold a story of efficiency and transparency. Turns out, that story may have been more illusion than reality.”
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Others in the ecosystem are welcoming the decision as a long-overdue course correction. Arnaud Créput, CEO of Equativ, described the ruling as a victory for everyone outside of Google’s orbit.
“This decision marks a win for the entire industry, as it fosters transparency, open competition, and innovation,” said Créput. “A diverse and competitive environment is advantageous for advertisers, publishers and, ultimately, consumers. This outcome represents a significant step towards promoting fairness and competition in the industry and it will strengthen industry partnerships with Google in the long term by encouraging greater transparency and collaboration.”
The case against Google is just one of several major legal challenges facing big tech this year, marking what many are calling a tipping point for the sector. In parallel, Meta is fending off antitrust actions, Amazon is under investigation, and the DOJ is pushing hard on Microsoft’s gaming and AI expansions. It’s clear 2025 could go down as the year when big tech’s dominance finally faced real disruption.
What comes next for Google, and the open web, could redefine the future of digital advertising for years to come.
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