Google submits proposal outlining measures to address allegations of antitrust violations by US Department of Justice, following settlement agreement and potential restrictions on Android’s ability to prioritize Google Search over other options. In August, Judge Amit Mehta of the US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of allegations that Google had violated Part 2 of the Sherman Act; despite this, Google expressed disagreement with the ruling yet proposed methods to make its contracts with browser companies and Android device manufacturers more flexible.
Google’s VP of regulatory affairs Lee-Anne Mulholland stated that the proposal enables browser companies like Apple and Mozilla to provide Google Search, earning revenue from this partnership, while allowing different default agreements on various platforms and modes. Browsers can also switch their default search provider annually. This revised text provides clarity on the proposed changes: The proposal would grant manufacturers additional latitude in preloading various search engines, as well as the ability to preload individual Google apps without being tied to preloading Search or Chrome.
Google has announced its intention to revise its proposal ahead of an April hearing, with a revised submission slated for March 7. Mulholland labelled the DOJ’s suggestion “overboard”, describing it as an interventionist agenda that goes beyond what the court’s decision actually addresses – our commitments to partners for distributing searches.
