US Government Pushes to Break Up Google and Chrome in Landmark Antitrust Case.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has called for the breakup of Google, demanding the sale of its widely used Chrome browser.
This marks a dramatic shift in regulatory strategy, with federal antitrust officials targeting a tech giant on a scale not seen since the failed breakup of Microsoft two decades ago.
Now, most of us use Chrome on our devices and should be curious to know why this may be good or bad right?
The DOJ filed its request late Wednesday, urging measures that include banning Google’s agreements to be the default search engine on smartphones and addressing its control of the Android operating system.
If the proposed remedies prove insufficient, regulators are also advocating for the sale of Android itself.
Google’s practices were ruled monopolistic in a landmark decision last August by U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta. The court found that Google’s confidential agreements with smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, allowed the company to dominate the online search market.
These deals secured Google’s search engine as the default option on browsers and devices, granting it unparalleled access to user data. This data not only reinforced its dominance in search but also bolstered other services like Chrome, Maps, and Android.
Judge Mehta noted that by 2020, Google controlled 90% of the U.S. online search market and an even higher 95% on mobile devices.
The tech giant has dismissed calls for a breakup as “radical,” while Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the trade group Chamber of Progress, labeled the DOJ’s demands as “fantastical” and advocated for more targeted solutions.
Both Google and the DOJ are expected to present further recommendations in the coming months, with arguments scheduled for April 2024. However, any resolution could take years, as Google is likely to appeal, potentially escalating the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The trial comes amid broader government efforts to rein in big tech, with five major antitrust cases currently pending against companies like Amazon, Meta, and Apple. The Biden administration has taken a tough stance on tech monopolies, but the upcoming Trump administration could reshape the landscape. President-elect Trump has been critical of Google, accusing it of bias against conservative content, but he has also expressed skepticism about the feasibility of a breakup.
As the legal battle unfolds, it signals a new era of scrutiny for tech giants, setting the stage for a prolonged fight over the future of digital monopolies.
