Index Exchange is joining a growing group of adtech companies (and publishers) suing Google for monopoly damages.
In an exclusive report by Adweek, Index alleges that Google “denied Index Exchange the chance to sell the most valuable impressions” due to “DFP’s requirement that AdX have an initial opportunity to make the sale.”
Of course, this follows a ruling earlier this year in which a judge agreed that Google had a monopoly over the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets.
Why This Matters:
Everyone is suing, huh? Let’s take a look at what we have so far on the adtech front:
OpenX
- Filed: August 2025
- Key Claims/Damages: Alleges Google’s “Project Poirot” and other “manipulations” killed its innovative ad server business and is seeking civil damages for suppressed growth, etc.
PubMatic
- Filed: September 2025
- Key Claims/Damages: Claims Google used self-preferencing tactics like “First Look” to limit its market share and is seeking treble damages for competitive harm and lost revenue.
Magnite
- Filed: September 2025
- Key Claims/Damages: Alleges Google locked publishers into its ad server and unfairly steered business to its own exchange, hurting Magnite’s opportunity to compete fairly/grow.
Index Exchange (now)
- Filed: November 2025
- Key Claims/Damages: Alleges Google used its market dominance to limit Index’s success and is seeking damages for the loss of fair market access and growth opps.
This list is only going to grow, right? (This list doesn’t include those suing prior to the April decision, like Rumble.) By the way, realistically, why wouldn’t more adtech companies and publishers pile on?
The market is too competitive — and Google is too rich — for others not to try. It’s starting to feel like “easy” money, frankly, given the recent judgment that found Google’s antitrust liability is now “settled law.” (Of course, nothing is ever easy when it involves a lawsuit against anyone, let alone Google.)
Experts React:
Here are some of the more interesting takes about the suit on X:
Our Take:
What’s Google’s strategy here? Is there one, really? At this point, do they have a fund earmarked for all these lawsuits? Do they even care?
After all, the company just logged its first-ever $100 billion quarter. In the AI era, antitrust lawsuits might simply be the cost of doing business — a distraction from the real prize (AI).
