Google Could Face $3.2B In Damages Over Ad-Tech Monopoly, Federal Judge Rules

A Manhattan federal judge has cleared the way for digital publishers to seek more than $3.2 billion in damages from Alphabet Inc.'s Google after alleging ad-tech monopolization.

• Alphabet Inc.'s Google faces over $3.2 billion in damage demands from major media outlets and a class of about 5,000 publishers over its ad exchange practices. 
• U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel permitted jury trials to proceed in Manhattan, rejecting Google's attempts to challenge the publishers' damage estimates. 
• The private damage suits stem from broader federal antitrust actions that previously found Google guilty of illegally dominating the online display advertising market. 

Tech giant Google could face jury trials that could cost the company more than $3.2 billion in damages over its alleged monopolization of the digital advertising market, a federal judge in New York ruled late on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel of the Southern District of New York rejected Alphabet Inc.’s attempt to contest the financial damage calculations submitted by news outlets and digital publishers. 

The decision allows a series of high-stakes trials to move forward regarding how the search leader's ad-tech practices harmed content creators through its AdX advertising exchange.

Alphabet stock (GOOG, GOOGL) slipped about 1.7% on Thursday.

Damage Claims Across Media Outlets

The decision opens the door for a broad class of roughly 5,000 publishers to collectively seek about $1.7 billion in financial compensation from Google.

In addition to the class-action suit, major individual publishing entities that filed separate actions were also granted permission to pursue substantial monetary recoveries. USA Today Co. can pursue around $900 million in damages, while Daily Mail General and Trust Plc is authorized to seek around $600 million.

Philip Korologos, an attorney representing the publishers, stated that his team looks forward to presenting the damage claims before a jury.

Google Responds As Litigation Unfolds

Google noted that the judge's ruling dismissed allegations brought by certain publishers who utilized a different advertising-purchasing tool, adding that the company intends to defend against the remaining claims in court.

The legal proceedings in Manhattan build upon broader government scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Justice, alongside a coalition of states, originally sued Google in 2023 over its control of tools used to buy, sell, and serve display advertisements online.

A federal judge in Virginia previously concluded that Google maintained an illegal monopoly across two distinct advertising technology sectors. While that ruling required Google to make its ad tools compatible with competing systems, it stopped short of ordering a corporate breakup.

Judge Castel has not yet set an official start date for the upcoming Manhattan trials.

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