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Google Found Guilty of Antitrust Behavior… Again!
In September 2024, the Department of Justice won their lawsuit against Google, alleging that the tech giant was exhibiting antitrust behaviors in their search advertising business. Google was declared a monopoly, but the punches didn’t stop there. The DOJ later took Google to court again over monopolistic actions in their adtech enterprises, and we now have a ruling on the side of the DOJ for this case.
In a ruling released April 17th, 2025, Judge Brinkema declared that Google was “willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” on the publisher side of their adtech business. Brinkema dismissed the antitrust allegations the DOJ submitted on the advertiser side of the adtech stack.
What Happens to Google Now?
Google will of course appeal the ruling, but this is nevertheless a landmark moment for the tech industry. The world’s biggest player has been hit with not one, but two antitrust cases that could force Google to drastically change its business model. The DOJ outlined drastic changes in their own case, including forcing Google to sell its unbelievably popular Chrome Web Browser and its entire ad server and ad exchange.
A week ago, we might have suggested that such changes would be unlikely to occur, but with two rulings against Google, it now feels like anything is possible. Only a week after this second ruling, a judge in Washington will hear arguments over the DOJ’s call for Google to sell Chrome, among other major divestments. We’ve little reason to doubt that Google will continue to be a powerhouse in the adtech industry, but the shape, size, and scope of Google going forward are yet to be determined.
TikTok Ban Further Delayed, and Most Americans Don’t Care
One day before President Trump’s initial TikTok ban delay expired, the White House announced a second 75-day delay. Once again, the short-form video app is safe in the US, at least until mid-June. The President cites an in-progress “Deal” between the US government and ByteDance - TikTok’s parent company.
The drama around TikTok continues, but a recent survey from HarrisX suggests that the American public is mostly apathetic to the outcome of the app. Roughly two-thirds of survey respondents expressed no concern over a possible TikTok shutdown, while the remaining third are “somewhat” or “very” concerned. The inverse is true of the platform’s regulars; about 61% of daily TikTok users positively do not want the platform shut down, while 39% are unconcerned either way.
All the while, the swiftly changing landscape has taken a toll on TikTok advertising. Varos reported a roughly 40% decline in TikTok CPMs compared to 2024, suggesting advertisers are abandoning the platform in anticipation of the ban. Should TikTok remain active throughout the year, however, Emarketer estimates that it will still rank third in social media ad revenue, behind Facebook and Instagram ranking 2nd and 1st respectively.
Temu Sharply Lowers Ad Spend in the US
TikTok isn’t the only Chinese-based company with an unknown future, Temu is an e-commerce brand that has built its business on shipping low-cost, cheaply-made items from China. The app is hugely popular and powerful; in March 2025 (a month ago at time of writing), Temu commanded 19% of all eligible Google Shopping ad impressions.
As of April 12th, that figure has dropped to below 1%, according to Tinuiti. Pathmatics further reports that Temu’s daily US social media ad spend has also plummeted. Analysts agree this is likely due to the increase in United States tariffs on China which would significantly increase Temu’s costs; US consumers are Temu’s primary audience.
While Temu’s exit leaves quite the advertising vacuum, Tinuiti says competitors are unlikely to note a massive shift in their numbers. For all the negative talk surrounding Google, their robust CPC model will prevent advertisers from spending more than the allotted budget, unless they manually increase their spending.
Which, according to industry analysts, isn’t likely to happen. Mike Ryan – head of Ecommerce Insights at Smarter Ecommerce, said that “it’s a sensitive moment in the market—many brands are rethinking budgets and even pulling back. So it’s ambiguous that anyone’s rushing in to fill the gap.”
Swinging With the Tide
The programmatic advertising industry is still young and finding its footing in some areas. Power shifts and some rules change over time, but there is a constant need for finding the best path to getting your message in front of your audience.
Genius Monkey is excited for the future of advertising; new technologies and our own ever-improving tools suggest a bright future for users of the platform. Whatever market conditions may come, advertisers can trust Genius Monkey to efficiently find the best balance of placement, price, and potential. If you’re ready to drastically improve the quality AND quantity of impressions, engagements, and conversions, get in touch with Genius Monkey today!
