Google agreed to sell AdX to end antitrust trial but was turned down

Google had agreed to sell its AdX advertising marketplace to pacify the European Union (EU) but the idea was rejected as “insufficient”. It appears every party involved, wants Google to do a lot more to regain their trust.

Google was willing to sell AdX

It’s no secret that Google is in hot water owing to its advertising marketplace AdX. The ad exchange is a behemoth, just like the company’s search platform.

Multiple regulators and government watchdogs are behind Google claiming the company acts like a monopoly in the ads business. The EU has even argued that Google’s practices are anti-competitive and the company crushes its competitors.

The European Commission claims Google favors its advertising services. The commission recently opened its fourth case against the world’s most popular search engine.

Google has been trying to find some middle ground to get EU and other regulators off its back. To pacify the parties involved, Google reportedly offered to sell its advertising marketplace AdX.

AdX, or Ad Exchange, is a marketplace where publishers can make their unsold ad space available to advertisers for purchase on a real-time basis. Regulators have accused Google of stifling competition, but the company has been fighting multiple legal battles to challenge these claims

Who refused Google’s peace offering and why?

It is important to note that Google has never openly indicated it was willing to divest in AdX. The Reuters report cites three lawyers involved in antitrust cases. Needless to mention, none of these individuals have permission to speak publicly.

Incidentally, it was the publishers who rejected Google’s proposal. It seems they want the search giant to divest more than just AdX.

It appears publishers want Google to address conflicts of interest. Needless to add, Google has a commanding presence in almost all levels of the ad tech supply chain and it could use this to gain an unfair advantage.

As expected, Google continues to challenge the very definition of the ad tech business. “As we have said before, the European Commission’s case about our third-party display advertising products rests on flawed interpretations of the ad-tech sector, which is fiercely competitive and rapidly evolving. We remain committed to this business,” a Google spokesperson said.

With the peace offering allegedly out the window, Google may now have to try other techniques. It is not immediately clear how Google will quell the growing discontent.