A US judge has scheduled a May 2 hearing to explore possible remedies against Google after ruling that the tech giant unlawfully maintains a monopoly in two critical digital ads markets.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, presiding from Alexandria, Virginia, aims to gain an early, broad understanding of the corrective actions the Justice Department and a coalition of states could seek, before focusing on specific solutions. Among potential measures: forcing Google to sell parts of its digital advertising business to restore competition.

The upcoming hearing follows Judge Brinkema's April 17 blockbuster decision that found Google liable for "willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power" over the publisher ad server market and the ad exchange market — key spaces where advertisers and publishers connect.

This ruling marks the second major legal setback for Google. In a separate case in Washington, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled in August 2024 that Google used exclusive agreements with companies like Samsung Electronics to fortify its alleged search engine monopoly. Remedies under consideration there could even include forcing the tech giant to sell its widely-used Chrome browser.

Meanwhile, Meta — another dominant force in the digital ads space — continues to monitor the regulatory environment closely, as pressure builds on major tech players over competition issues.

Google has strongly denied the government’s allegations in both antitrust cases and has vowed to appeal the rulings. It maintains that its practices foster innovation and benefit consumers.

As the court weighs how to dismantle parts of Google's digital ads empire, the tech industry at large watches closely, given the potential ripple effects on advertising ecosystems, platforms, and competition worldwide.

 

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