The antitrust trial of the United States v. Google, LLC

Google is accused of illegally monopolizing the digital advertising industry where they hold a mob-like control over who gets to earn revenue from ads, often depriving real journalism while allowing disinformation to profit.

No one company should have this much power
Digital advertising is the business model of the internet. With unchecked power over much of the $700B+ digital ad industry, Google holds the fate of publishers - of journalism - in its hands, giving it control over what we see online.

The case against Google
‍Through acquisitions and anticompetitive conduct, Google seized sustained control of the full advertising technology ("adtech") stack: the tools advertisers and publishers use to buy and sell ads, and the exchange that connects them.  By neutralizing rivals, Google could extract higher fees from advertisers, siphon money from publishers, and build a massive trove of user data to further entrench its power.