The US Department of Justice, which accused Google of operating as a monopoly in the advertising technology industry, has won its antitrust case. “Plaintiffs have proven that Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising,” wrote US District Judge Leonie Brinkema in his 115-page ruling. “For over a decade, Google has tied its publisher ad server and ad exchange together through contractual policies and technological integration, which enabled the company to establish and protect its monopoly power in these two markets.”

Google maintains the judge delivered a “mixed decision” because the DOJ failed to show that Google’s advertising tools or acquisitions of DoubleClick and AdMeld were anticompetitive, reported Reuters on Friday. “We won half of this case and we will appeal the other half,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, VP for Regulatory Affairs. “The Court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick, don’t harm competition. We disagree with the Court’s decision regarding our publisher tools. Publishers have many options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple, affordable and effective.”

Meta is also facing monopoly claims, which could force the company to sell Instagram and WhatsApp. A lawsuit from the FTC alleges Meta has engaged in “anticompetitive conduct” to construct a “social networking monopoly.” Mark Zuckerberg was on the stand last week answering questions about emails and documents that put into question his motives for acquiring competitors. In a statement, Meta said, “It’s absurd that the FTC is trying to break up a great American company at the same time the Administration is trying to save Chinese-owned TikTok.”

X Corp must fork over $105 million to a patent owner for violating technology rights for recording and distributing video through social networks. That ruling comes from a Dallas, Texas federal jury, which determined that former X subsidiaries Vine and Periscope mimicked VidStream LLC’s video technology. VidStream has been in a patent dispute with the-company-once-known-as-Twitter since 2016.

ReachTV is teaming with Nielsen to enable a cross-media view of ad performance across 90+ US airports. ReachTV will also integrate Nielsen Media Impact, enabling buyers to build more effective media plans and connect with the desired audience.

Keeping it real? Infinite Reality, powering digital media and ecommerce through immersive technologies, has agreed to acquire AI company Touchcast. Touchcast’s agentic AI platform, Mentorverse, generates AI mentors who engage in natural, face-to-face video conversations to deliver guidance through natural interactions. The integration of Touchcast’s technology across Infinite Reality’s portfolio of products is intended to enable iR customers to tap AI agents for tasks that drive user engagement, customer support, and sales.

Apple reported it has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 60%, including in manufacturing, marketing, corporate operations and customer use. The company, which has said it plans to eliminate at least 75% of its greenhouse gas emission by 2030, noted on Wednesday that 26 of its semiconductor suppliers have pledged to abate at least 90% of fluorinated greenhouse gases in their operations.

“CTV has officially moved beyond passive viewing. Today’s TV home screen is a launchpad for immersive entertainment, interactive experiences, and increasingly for retail experiences,” said Tony Marlow, CMO at LG Ad Solutions. “As the biggest screen in the home becomes the center of attention and action, it presents an unparalleled opportunity for advertisers to connect with people across both their entertainment and purchase journeys.”

LG Ad Solutions announced a partnership with Zenapse, an AI-driven marketing platform powered by emotional intelligence, to drive better targeting, personalization, viewer engagement, and campaign performance across LG’s TVs. “Putting together Zenapse’s emotional intelligence AI capabilities and psychographic data with our proprietary technology is a win-win that enhances our ability to understand content, drive personalization, and improve targeting,” said David Rudnick, Chief Technology Officer at LG Ad Solutions. “Ultimately, this helps advertisers forge deeper connections with viewers, maximize campaign performance, and increase ad relevance across connected environments.”

Integral Ad Science has expanded Social Optimization for TikTok to include pre-bid Video Exclusion Lists, giving advertisers greater control over their advertising investments on the platform. Advertisers can now couple Social Optimization with IAS’s AI-driven Total Media Quality for post-bid measurement on TikTok, to leverage IAS’s Brand Safety and Suitability, Viewability, and Invalid Traffic detection across a total of 75+ markets.

In more TikTok-related news, DoubleVerify announced the launch of pre-bid Video Exclusion lists for the platform. “Powered by DV’s industry-leading, AI-driven classification technology, this solution helps advertisers ensure that ads appear in environments that align with their brand settings—driving stronger engagement, maximizing ad performance, and instilling greater confidence in their digital investments,” said Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify.

Attention, micro agencies and SMBs: AI-powered video ad creator Waymark and CTV platform Skybeam are teaming up to bring instant, AI-generated commercial production and cross-platform distribution into a single, self-serve solution. “This partnership brings together two crucial elements of modern TV advertising: instant creative production and comprehensive distribution,” said Steve Paule, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Skybeam. “While other solutions limit advertisers to a single network’s inventory, our platform gives businesses access to premium programming across all major streaming services, maximizing their reach and impact.”

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Samsung has expanded Optimal Reach, a suite of solutions that provides insights into audience reach across both linear and in-app streaming, for advertisers across all verticals. The portfolio’s first offering measuring incrementality is designed to help brands end duplication and extend their messaging beyond the audiences they already reach with AVOD and traditional linear campaigns.

Premion announced the launch of expanded capabilities and new tools for advertisers to execute and optimize campaigns across channels. With the integration of Octillion, Premion has strengthened its local CTV platform and demand side platform to drive full-funnel outcomes. “Consumers have embraced streaming for its convenience, choice and control….Advertisers want that same flexibility in buying CTV while optimizing spend and performance across channels, whether through managed services and programmatic buying,” said Daniel Spinosa, President at Premion. “Publishers are also eager to unlock more local revenue, and with expanded capabilities powered by our DSP, we’re providing innovative solutions that meet these needs, creating a win-win for all.”

The Africa Channel has released research revealing a deepening disconnect between brands and Black consumers. “Despite a 119 percent increase in Black consumer spending over the past 15 years – projected by eMarketer to reach $2.1 trillion in 2026 – and this audience consuming 32 percent more media than the general market, most brands are still missing the mark,” said TAC SVP of Sales & Business Development Dean Cates. “The overwhelming consensus in the community is that a wider cultural lens is necessary to reach ALL Black Americans.” To that end, TAC has launched a new ad solution, Pulse 360, designed to help brands connect with viewers. “We have effectively implemented solutions across our traditional TV, CTV/OTT, talent networks, experiential and branded platforms established over our past 20 years to help brands succeed, while accounting for these cultural divides leading into the next 35 years,” said Cates. “Investing in reaching Black audiences is not just about doing good; it’s about doing good business.”