The Justice Department is standing firm on its demand that Google sell its Chrome web browser. This move, announced on Friday, signals that the current administration is following through on the previous administration’s tough stance against major technology companies.
In a recent court filing, the Justice Department urged Judge Amit P. Mehta to compel Google to sell Chrome and cease practices that the court determined last year contributed to an illegal monopoly in online search.
The proposal indicates that Google must “quickly and completely divest” Chrome, along with any related assets or services, to a buyer approved by the plaintiffs, pending court and plaintiff consent.
The government’s filing highlights concerns that Google’s formidable presence in the market has created an unequal playing field. It states, “Google’s illegal conduct has created an economic giant that disrupts the marketplace to ensure its dominance.” As a result, they argue that the American public has no choice but to accept Google’s terms for using its common search engine.
This latest demand follows a significant ruling by Judge Mehta in August 2024. He found that Google maintained its search monopoly by paying browser and smartphone makers to feature its search engine as the default option. Evidence from the 2023 trial revealed that Google spent $26.3 billion on these agreements in just 2021.
The Justice Department claims that Google’s massive size and power have taken away consumers’ right to choose among different services. Currently, around 70% of search queries in the U.S. are conducted through portals that have Google as the default search engine, making it challenging for smaller search engines to compete.
As part of the proposals, the Justice Department is asking Google to stop forming paid partnerships with companies like Apple and Mozilla to remain the default search engine on devices. They also want to make it easier for competing search engines to access Google’s search results and data for the next ten years.
In response to changes from earlier demands, the government has revised its stance, no longer requesting that Google sell its artificial intelligence products. Instead, they are asking for notifications to be given to federal and state officials before Google makes new investments in AI.
Google has expressed its intention to appeal Judge Mehta’s decision and presented its proposal, arguing that only minor changes to its operations are necessary. The company has suggested that while payments for prime placements should continue, they should come with less strict agreements that allow other search engines to have a fair chance at competing.
A Google spokesperson stated, “The government’s proposals would harm America’s consumers, economy, and national security.” Google’s legal chief has labeled the proposals as extreme, suggesting they could jeopardize the security and privacy of many Americans and hinder innovation.
Judge Mehta is scheduled to review the competing proposals in April. However, Google has indicated that it will appeal any decision, which could lead to a lengthy legal battle ahead.
