Janice R. Andrews
Canada’s Competition Bureau has filed a lawsuit against Google, aiming to dismantle its advertising technology business. The antitrust watchdog accuses Google of abusing its dominance in programmatic web advertising to stifle competition and strengthen its market position.
The Bureau’s investigation alleges that Google gave preferential access to its own ad tools, undercut rival platforms financially, and imposed restrictive terms on customers considering alternative solutions. This behavior, the Bureau claims, has harmed Canadian advertisers, publishers, and consumers by reducing competition and increasing costs.
The lawsuit seeks to force Google to divest two major ad tech tools and pay a penalty for its practices. “Google’s actions have locked market participants into its ecosystem, excluded competitors, and distorted fair competition,” said Matthew Boswell, Canada’s Commissioner of Competition.
Google has denied the allegations, stating the claims misrepresent the highly competitive nature of the ad tech market. “Our tools help businesses and content creators succeed,” said Dan Taylor, Google’s Vice President of Global Ads. The company expressed confidence in defending its case in court.
This lawsuit follows a similar effort in the United States, where the Department of Justice has also moved to break up Google’s ad business. Closing arguments in that case recently concluded, with a verdict expected soon.
The cases could bring significant changes to the digital advertising landscape, signaling stronger regulatory action against tech monopolies.
