Google introduces “Project Bernanke,” a program that allegedly gave Google an unfair advantage in ad auctions.

Project Bernanke is a program that was allegedly created by Google to give itself an unfair advantage in ad auctions. According to reports, the program used historical data from previous ad auctions to help Google’s own ad buying platform, Google Ads, make better bids in subsequent auctions.

The program allegedly gave Google an advantage over other advertisers who did not have access to the same historical data. This allowed Google to win more ad auctions and pay less for ad placements than it otherwise would have.

The existence of Project Bernanke was revealed during a Texas antitrust lawsuit against Google in 2021. Google has not denied the existence of the program, but has argued that it was a common industry practice and that it did not harm competition.

The case is ongoing, and it remains to be seen what the ultimate outcome will be. However, the revelation of Project Bernanke has raised concerns about the fairness of ad auctions and the market power of large tech companies like Google.