The Justice Department has urged a judge to compel Alphabet’s Google to take significant steps to dismantle its dominance in online search. Proposed measures include selling its Chrome browser, sharing search data and results with competitors, and potentially divesting Android. This proposal is part of a groundbreaking case in Washington that could transform how millions of Americans access information. If implemented, the measures would remain in effect for up to a decade and be overseen by a court-appointed committee. The move represents an ambitious challenge to a $2 trillion tech giant whose products and services have become integral to daily life.
The 23-page filing by the DOJ, made on Wednesday, came months after a federal judge ruled that Google illegally held an online search monopoly and stifled competition with its Android smartphone software. The filing also argues that Google’s practice of paying billions of dollars to phone manufacturers like Samsung to make it the default smartphone search engine further fortified its dominance.
Google has argued that the August ruling was unfair and warned of a protracted legal battle ahead. It has said it’s committed to challenging the government’s allegations in a trial expected to begin next year.
A judge will ultimately decide what punishment, if any, Google should face for violating antitrust laws, a decision that could alter the internet as we know it. If the DOJ’s plan is successful, it may be the first time a major tech corporation has been forced to break up since AT&T’s breakup in 1982.
Separating Chrome, which is used on billions of devices worldwide, from the rest of Google’s businesses could be challenging. It’s one of the most significant parts of a multi-faceted online ecosystem that keeps people using Google’s tools and apps and relying on its ad networks to pay for them. That might make the Justice Department’s bid seem more aggressive than it is and may raise the possibility of a costly legal battle in future years.
