US Department of Justice to Push for Google Chrome Sell-off in Court
The Department of Justice (DoJ) in the US will be pushing for the sale of Google’s internet browser, Chrome in court this Tuesday, November 19, 2024. According to Reuters, the DoJ will present the Google Chrome sell-off proposal to the federal judge who ruled that the search giant is an illegal monopoly.
Additionally, the DoJ will also be asking the judge to compel the tech giant to take measures on its Android smartphone operating systems and AI.
Unveiling Google’s Monopoly
The Google antitrust trial was concluded in 2023. As part of the trial, the DoJ scrutinized exclusive agreements between Google and smartphone makers like Apple. The trial revealed that the agreements facilitated substantial payments to manufacturers to secure Google’s place as the default search engine on iPhones, browsers, and other devices.
The Judge established that this arrangement gave Google unmatched access to user data. This enabled the search engine to maintain its global dominance, expanding its empire to Google Maps, Chrome browser and the Android operating system.
The ruling said that in 2020, Google controlled 90% of the US digital search market and 95% of mobile devices. The DoJ is seeking to curb Google’s AI from collecting website data. The DoJ also wants to bar Google’s Android operating system from being included in other offerings by the search giant. The Chrome browser antitrust case will be one of the most aggressive steps taken by the Biden administration to curb big tech monopolies.
Google Monopoly Remedy Options
Following Google’s landmark antitrust trial that saw US District Court Judge Amit Mehta rule that the tech giant is an illegal monopoly, determining the remedy for this wrongdoing is the next step. In October 2024, DoJ officials said they would be demanding far reaching changes in Google businesses as part of the remedy.
The DoJ further noted that the idea of breaking tech giant up was not off the table. Breaking Google up would leave a profound change on US regulators. Previously, a move like this left tech giants intact as evidenced by the failed attempt to break up Microsoft about two decades ago.
In its court filing, the department said it was considering structural changes inon the tech giant. Such changes could involve divestment of Google’s Chrome browser or Android operating system. The DoJ is also considering the option of compelling Google to make search data accessible to its rivals.
Google’s Response
Google has dismissed the Google breakup idea and DoJ’s Chrome sell-off proposal as too radical. The search engine controls how most people view the internet and the ads they view on the Chrome browser. Google uses this browser for search. The company also collects important information for its advertising business through the browser. Estimates show that Google controls about 75% of the global browser market.
In a statement by the VP for Regulatory Affairs Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google accused the DoJ for pursuing a radical agenda that would harm customers and surpass the legal issues of the case. The tech giant is expected to appeal Judge Mehta’s eventual ruling, a move that could potentially drag the DoJ vs. Google antitrust case for years. The case will possibly reach the US Supreme Court.
Industry Trade Group Chamber of Progress CEO Adam Kovacevich argues that the proposals being pushed by the DoJ are fantastical and defy legal standards. Kovacevich says narrow, customized remedies would be more ideal.
In September 2024, the DoJ filed another antitrust case against the search giant Google. In this case, the DoJ took on Google’s ad technology system which it says causes harm to news publishers. Google has also been sued by Yelp over illegal monopoly in local search. Yelp accused the tech giant of prioritizing its reviews over those of competitors.
