Google allegedly gave its ad system an advantage with a special project

Texas thinks it might need an edge in its antitrust lawsuit in opposition to Google. MLex and the Wall Avenue Journal have discovered unredacted courtroom paperwork displaying that Google ran a program, Challenge Bernanke, that allegedly gave its advert buying system an edge over rivals. The web big used knowledge from publishers’ advert servers to steer advertisers towards the worth they’d should pay for advert placements, however did not inform this to the publishers promoting these adverts. This amounted to insider buying and selling, Texas claimed, because it may use unique information to undercut competing ad-buying programs and pay publishers much less.

An inside presentation from 2013 confirmed that Challenge Bernanke stood to make $230 million that yr. Texas noticed this as proof Google was capitalizing on its benefit.

Google acknowledged the existence of Bernanke within the courtroom paperwork, however mentioned it hadn’t carried out something unsuitable. The information was “comparable” to what you’d discover with different advert shopping for instruments, based on the corporate. A spokesperson informed the WSJ that Texas’ grievance “misrepresents” massive components of its advert enterprise, and that it meant to problem the state in courtroom. It pointed to a UK regulator’s dedication that there was no benefit.

Whichever interpretation is right, the courtroom submitting exhibits how Texas intends to pursue its antitrust case — it is satisfied Google was making behind-the-scenes preparations, comparable to a reported “sweetheart deal” with Fb, to provide itself an unfair edge over the competitors. The state may have a robust case if the courtroom agrees with the fundamental premise, however it will be in deep trouble if there is a distinction of opinion.