Canada sues Google claiming ‘near-total control’ of online ads

Canada’s antitrust watchdog said Thursday it was suing Google over its alleged anticompetitive conduct in online advertisements.

Canada’s Competition Bureau said it wants Google to sell off two of its advertisement tech services and pay a penalty, noting that its necessary because an investigation found the company is “unlawfully” tied with its tech tools to maintain its dominant position in the market, The Associated Press reported.

The matter will now head to the Competition Tribunal, a body the hears the cases brought forth by the competition commissioner about instances that don’t comply with the Competition Act.

Canada’s bureau is asking the tribunal to order Google to sell DoubleClick for Publishers, its publisher ad server, and AdX, its ad exchange services.

The bureau estimates Google holds a 90 percent market share in publisher ad servers, 70 percent in advertiser networks, 60 percent in “demand-side platforms” and about 50 percent in advertisement exchanges.

Canada argues this dominance has discouraged rival companies from competing, inhibiting innovation and inflated advertising costs.

“Google has abused its dominant position in online advertising in Canada by engaging in conduct that locks market participants into using its own ad tech tools, excluding competitors, and distorting the competitive process,” Matthew Boswell, Commissioner of Competition, said in a statement, per the AP.

The Associated Press contributed.