Google just got fresh attention from the United States Justice Department, and unfortunately for Google, it is not the friendly kind. Regulators are tightening their grip on the company’s advertising technology business, which is still the money printing engine behind the entire Alphabet empire.
The government’s view is simple. Google controls the tools advertisers use, the marketplace where ads are bought, and the spaces where those ads eventually appear. That makes Google the referee, the coach and the star striker all at once, which is a fun position for Google but not so fun for everyone else in the advertising world.
The Justice Department is now preparing stronger action that could force major changes to how Google sells and manages online ads. Some analysts think regulators may even try to split off parts of the ad business if they can prove it unfairly restricts competition. Google says its system helps advertisers and publishers work together more efficiently. Regulators say that is one way to describe it.
Why does this matter. Because Google ads are still the company’s biggest and most profitable business. If Washington pushes through meaningful restrictions, it could reshape how much Google earns from the internet economy and how advertisers reach consumers.
For now Google is fighting the case, but the direction of travel is clear. Regulators in the United States and Europe want more control over big tech, and Google just moved a little higher on their to do list.