U.S. Court Says Google Broke Antitrust Laws — What That Means for Canada

Last week, a U.S. judge found Google guilty of breaking antitrust laws by creating and protecting a monopoly in online advertising. This is the second big legal loss for the tech giant, Alphabet Inc., which is worth around $1.8 trillion. The decision could lead to major changes in how Google does business and shift the power in the tech world.

A History of Trouble for Google

This isn’t Google’s first time in hot water. Last August, the company was also found guilty of unfairly controlling the online search market. That case was the first big win for antitrust officials in the U.S.

Now, the U.S. government and several states are pushing to break up Google’s business, which could mean splitting off parts of the company.

Big Tech Under Pressure

Tech companies like Google, Apple, and Meta have been facing more pressure from governments around the world. These countries are worried about monopolies, privacy issues, and misinformation online.

What Happened in the U.S. Case?

U.S. Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that Google broke the law by controlling two major parts of the online advertising system. Google used contracts and technology to link its ad tools together, giving it too much power.

The company was back in court on Monday to face more possible penalties. Another judge, Amit Mehta, is looking at how Google should be punished for its search monopoly. The government wants Google to possibly sell its Chrome browser and Android phone system, and to stop paying companies like Apple to make Google the default search engine.

Google disagrees with the ruling and says the government’s plan could hurt consumers and damage America’s role in global tech. Google plans to appeal the decision.

Is Google in Trouble in Canada Too?

Yes. Canada’s Competition Bureau began looking into Google in 2016 for similar reasons. In November 2024, the Bureau sued Google, accusing the company of using unfair tactics to dominate online advertising.

Canada’s case says Google locked companies into using its tools, blocked out competitors, and hurt the market. This led to higher costs, less innovation, and lower profits for publishers.

An expert from the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project says the U.S. ruling helps Canada’s case, since the U.S. judge found similar problems. Without action, Google could keep using the same unfair tactics in Canada.

What Could Happen to Google in Canada?

The Competition Bureau wants Google to:

• Sell two of its ad tech tools,

• Stop its unfair behavior,

• Pay a fine to encourage following Canadian laws.

If the court agrees, this could change how Google competes, and hurt its ad revenues.

Canada could fine Google:

• Up to $10 million for the first offence,

• Up to $15 million for doing it again,

• Or even up to 3% of its global revenue, which would be over $12 billion.

But experts say the fine will likely be much smaller — maybe in the hundreds of millions.

What Would This Mean for Canadians?

Any changes to Google’s business likely won’t lead to lower prices right away, experts say. But it would send a strong message: Google can’t dominate every part of the online ad world.

“This shows there are limits to the power even big tech companies have,” said Jennifer Quaid, a law professor at the University of Ottawa.

How Long Will the Case Take?

According to Professor Andreas Schotter, tribunal cases usually take between one and three years to reach a final decision.

“But if Google fights the case strongly, it could take even longer,” he said. “The timeline depends on how complicated the case is, how much evidence there is, legal delays, and if either side appeals.”

Professor Jennifer Quaid said Canada’s Competition Bureau might take its time building the case.

“The tribunal has high standards and wants a lot of solid evidence,” she said. “Google is a huge company and might push back, especially during the evidence-gathering phase.”

Keldon Bester, of the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project, added that the tribunal has been trying to speed up decisions in recent years. But this case is different from merger cases, where companies want quick answers.

“In Google’s case, there’s no real pressure to move fast,” Bester said. “Both sides may actually benefit by delaying things.”