On May 26, the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority announced they were launching an investigation into Google’s advertising technology practices to determine if the company was engaging in anticompetitive behavior. The investigation focuses on three parts of the ad tech chain: demand-side platforms, ad exchanges, and publisher ad servers. Google operates the largest service in each of the three parts of the ad tech stack. According to the CMA, the investigation will examine whether Google tried to limit the interoperability of its ad exchange with third-party publisher ad servers, imposed restrictive contractual requirements, or used its DSPs and publisher ad server to illegally favor its own ad exchange services. The investigation follows a previously announced investigation into Google and Meta’s “Jedi Blue” agreement, related to header bidding services, and the CMA’s market study into online platforms and digital advertising. Read more about the latest investigation here.
Members of the News/Media Alliance staff have contributed to this post.
