In an effort to address monopoly concerns within the European Union, Google has reportedly proposed the sale of its AdX advertising marketplace. According to sources, European publishers declined this offer, asserting that Google would need to divest further to dismantle conflicts of interest within its online advertising operations. Legal experts involved in antitrust cases indicated that this marks the first instance of Google proposing to sell an asset in response to such a lawsuit.
Despite the alleged offer, Google remains publicly steadfast regarding its adtech business. A representative from Google stated, “As we have said before, the European Commission’s case about our third-party display advertising products rests on flawed interpretations of the ad-tech sector, which is fiercely competitive and rapidly evolving. We remain committed to this business.” Further comments from Google are pending.
Globally, concerns have been raised about Google’s dominance in online advertisements. Regulatory bodies have questioned whether the company’s activities across various stages of the adtech supply chain afford it an unfair business advantage, potentially stifling competition and inflating advertising costs.
The European Commission initiated actions against Google’s advertising division last June. Concurrently, the UK’s competition regulator highlighted potential monopoly issues earlier this month. Additionally, Google is currently facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice on the same grounds.