A federal judge granted class-action status to publishers suing Google. This ruling marks a significant development in the lawsuit accusing the Alphabet unit of monopolizing the ad technology market.
The certification allows publishers to sue as a single group. This class includes entities that sold ad space through Google’s AdX Ad Exchange between December 2016 and March 2024. The status strengthens the plaintiffs’ position in the legal battle.
The publishers claim Google’s ad marketplace practices constitute anticompetitive behavior, resulting in financial harm. The certification is a key step in the complex antitrust litigation facing the company. Initial reports did not include immediate market reaction analysis.