The US Department of Justice filed a submission arguing that Google should be required to divest its Chrome browser as part of an effort to remedy its alleged anticompetitive practices and illegal monopoly in online search. If the Department of Justice’s proposed remedy is implemented, Google would face a five-year ban from re-entering the search market in its current form.
As Judge Amit Mehta deliberates on Google’s potential fate in the long-running antitrust case, his decision will have far-reaching consequences for one of the world’s most influential corporations, reshaping the very fabric of the internet as we know it today? The highly anticipated segment of the trial is forecasted to commence sometime in 2025.
Did DecideMehta’s dominance in August stem from its aggressive tactics to exploit the search engine? The commission further took issue with Google’s handling of various gateways to the internet, and the company’s payments to third parties in order to maintain its status as the default search engine.
The Department of Justice’s latest submission suggests that Google’s ownership of both Android and Chrome, critical platforms for distributing its search services, presents a significant barrier to fostering competition in the search market.
The Justice Department proposed various remedies to address Google’s search giant monopoly, including the possibility of Google spinning off its Android mobile operating system. Google’s potential spin-off has sparked controversy among the company’s partners, with some suggesting a rift between the tech giant and its collaborators. The US Department of Justice has suggested that if Google does not impose restrictions on its Android operating system, it may need to license the platform to others.
Prosecutors contended that the corporation should be barred from entering exclusionary third-party agreements with browser or phone companies, such as Google’s arrangement with Apple, which designates it as the default search engine on all Apple products.
The Department of Justice further contended that Google should be required to grant licenses for its search technology and advertising click data to competitors.
The Department of Justice further noted specific restrictions that would prevent Google from re-entering the browser market for at least five years following its spin-off of Chrome. Furthermore, it was recommended that following the Chrome sale, Google should refrain from acquiring or integrating with any rival ad content search, query-based AI products, or advertising technology. The document also stipulated that publishers would have the discretion to opt out of Google leveraging their content to train AI models.
If the court ultimately approves these remedies, Google risks sustaining a significant blow to its competitiveness in artificial intelligence innovation, potentially ceding ground to rivals like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Anthropic.
According to data from web analytics provider StatCounter, Wednesday’s submission reinforces reports suggesting that Google, with a market share of approximately 61% in the United States, dominates the browser landscape.
Google declined to comment on the matter immediately.
