Canada’s antitrust watchdog said Thursday it is suing Google over its alleged anti-competitive behavior in online advertising.
Canada’s Competition Bureau said it wants Google to sell two of its ad tech services and pay a fine. This is reported by the Associated Press.
The case will now go to the Competition Tribunal, a body that hears cases brought by the Competition Commissioner regarding cases that do not comply with the Competition Act.
The Canadian agency is asking the tribunal to order Google to sell DoubleClick for Publishers, the publisher’s ad server, and AdX, its ad exchange services.
The agency estimates that Google has a 90 percent market share in publisher ad servers, 70 percent in advertiser networks, 60 percent in demand-side platforms and about 50 percent in ad exchanges.
Canada argues that this dominance has discouraged rival companies from competing, stifling innovation and driving up advertising costs.
“Google has abused its dominant position in online advertising in Canada by engaging in conduct that encourages market participants to use its own advertising technology tools, thereby foreclosing competitors and distorting the competitive process,” said Commissioner Matthew Boswell for Competition, in a statement. according to the AP.
The Associated Press contributed.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, visit The Hill.