Google privately told a federal court that “the open web is already in rapid decline,” a sharp reversal from its public claims that search traffic is booming — and a stunning admission as the Justice Department pushes to dismantle its ad tech empire.

The disclosure surfaced in a filing last week in the government’s ongoing antitrust case against Google, according to court documents flagged by Search Engine Roundtable and industry analyst Jason Kint.

For months, Google executives have insisted that the web is “thriving” and that the company’s AI-powered search tools are sending traffic to more publishers than ever. 4

But inside the courtroom, the company painted a different picture, arguing that a forced divestiture of its advertising business would “only accelerate” the collapse

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