Former Google Executive Admitted to Aim of ‘Crushing’ Competition, Court Evidence Reveals

In a recent antitrust trial, evidence emerged showing that a former Google executive, David Rosenblatt, aimed to “crush” rival advertising networks when discussing the company’s online advertising strategy in 2009. The statements were highlighted by prosecutors as part of their case against Google, alleging that the tech giant sought to monopolize the markets for publisher ad servers, advertiser ad networks, and ad exchanges.

On the trial’s third day, prosecutors introduced internal communications from Google employees that reflect their aggressive approach towards dominating the ad tech industry. According to court notes, Rosenblatt, who was Google’s president of display advertising at the time, expressed a goal to outpace competitors and consolidate Google’s market position. He described the strategy as a means to “crush the other networks” and emphasized the advantage of owning technology across the entire market spectrum.

Rosenblatt, who joined Google in 2008 through the acquisition of his company DoubleClick and left the following year, compared Google’s ambitions in display advertising to its previous successes in search. He drew parallels between Google’s role in display advertising and the positions held by major stock exchanges like Goldman Sachs and the NYSE, noting that the integration of ad server and ad exchange technology would give Google a significant edge.

The notes also highlighted Rosenblatt’s view that switching platforms was extremely challenging for publishers, describing it as requiring “an act of God.”

Google, which has consistently denied allegations of anti-competitive behavior, argues that it faces stiff competition from other digital advertising giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms. In response to the trial, Google maintains that its suite of products is not unique in the industry.

Should U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema find Google in violation of antitrust laws, the prosecution has proposed that Google be required to divest Google Ad Manager, which includes both its publisher ad server and ad exchange platforms.