Google has reportedly offered to sell its AdX advertising marketplace in the EU to address monopoly concerns, but European publishers rejected the offer, stating that more divestment is necessary to address conflicts of interest in Google’s online advertising operations. This marks the first time Google has offered to sell an asset in response to antitrust issues. Despite this, Google publicly maintains its position on its adtech business, with a company representative emphasizing their commitment to the business. Concerns over Google’s control of online advertisements have sparked global regulatory scrutiny, with questions raised about potential unfair advantages that could harm competition and increase advertising prices. The European Commission and UK competition watchdog have both taken action against Google for potential ad monopolies, while the US Department of Justice has also filed a lawsuit on the same topic.
