Beyond the U.S. trial, here is Europe's antitrust case against Google's ad tech monopoly explained

"Let's start with the basics: earlier this month, the European Commission - the European Union's executive arm - hit Google with a €2.95 billion fine for abusing its control over how ads are bought and sold in a market it also happens to run. But that was just the start. It also gave Google 60 days to come back with a fix. If it can't - or won't - the commission has said a breakup of Google's ad tech business could be the only resolution."

"This sounds like the antitrust case against Google in the U.S: it's not a carbon copy of the U.S. case, but the parallels are hard to ignore. For starters, both the European Commission and the Department of Justice's efforts trace back to the same academic groundwork: research that argued Google's dominance stems from a built-in conflict of interest - one that wouldn't be tolerated in most industries. In each case, the regulators came to the same conclusion. Fines aren't working. Structural separation is the endgame."

"Any differences between the two antitrust scenarios? Yes. In Europe, the commission is in the driver's seat. If Google fails to come up with a genuine way to wean itself off of the monopoly it has built by early November then the commission can move forward with a breakup order. In the U.S., it's not so simple. The DOJ still has to convince a judge to do the same. That's what this week's trial is all about."

The European Commission imposed a €2.95 billion fine on Google for abusing control over ad buying and selling and demanded a fix within 60 days, warning that a breakup of Google's ad tech business could follow. Both the Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice base actions on academic research identifying a built-in conflict of interest that underlies Google's dominance. Regulators concluded fines are insufficient and that structural separation may be necessary. Europe can unilaterally order a breakup if Google fails to comply by early November, while the U.S. DOJ must persuade a judge. Any decision is likely to face lengthy appeals, delaying enforcement.

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