UK watchdog objects to Google's ad tech practices

Britain's competition watchdog said on Friday it provisionally found Google had abused its dominant positions through the operation of both its publisher ad server and buying tools to restrict competition in the UK.

Google is a major player throughout the digital ad ecosystem, providing servers for publishers to manage ad space on their websites and apps, tools for advertisers and media agencies to buy display ads, and an exchange where both sides come together to buy and sell ads in real time at auctions.