In the ongoing antitrust trial against Google, a former executive's testimony has highlighted the company's overwhelming control in the online ad market. Stephanie Layser, a former programmatic advertising executive at News Corp, testified that Google’s ad server, known as DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) and now Google Ad Manager, is so entrenched that publishers feel they have no viable alternatives.

Layser described how changes Google made in 2019, specifically the unified pricing rules (UPR), restricted publishers from setting higher floor prices for Google's ad exchange, AdX. She claimed that this move was detrimental to publishers but that switching to other ad servers was not feasible due to Google’s dominant access to advertiser demand.

According to Layser, despite the outdated and cumbersome nature of Google’s ad server technology, the tool commands nearly 90 percent of the U.S. market. This dominance leaves few choices for publishers, with many having worked exclusively with Google throughout their careers.

Google, however, argues that the Department of Justice’s case is an attempt to punish the company for its success and force it to make deals with competitors on more favorable terms. In the trial, Google’s legal team pointed out that News Corp had considered itself competitive with Google and noted that News Corp had concerns about long-term alignment with Google’s media business.

Additional testimonies included Jay Friedman from the Goodway Group, who revealed that his company was unable to negotiate fees with Google’s AdX, and a prerecorded deposition from Eisar Lipkovitz, a former Google VP, who criticized the integration of Google’s ad tools and described the ad tech business as one that is challenging to manage.

The case continues to unfold, with the government aiming to demonstrate that Google’s practices stifle competition and limit alternatives in the ad tech market.