Canada sues Google over alleged online advertising monopoly

Canada accuses Google of abusing dominance in online advertising.

Competition Bureau Canada, lawsuit, Google

Canada’s Competition Bureau has filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominant position in online advertising. The bureau seeks an order for Google to divest two ad tech tools and pay a penalty to ensure compliance with competition laws.

The investigation, launched in 2020, found that Google controls key aspects of the ad tech stack in Canada and allegedly employed tactics to entrench its market power. Google disputes the claims, arguing that the online ad market remains competitive.

The case mirrors global scrutiny of Google’s advertising practices, including a similar lawsuit in the United States and ongoing EU investigations. Google’s earlier offer to sell an ad exchange failed to satisfy European publishers.