The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken a bold step in its ongoing antitrust battle with Google, requesting that a federal court force the tech giant to sell its Chrome web browser. This move follows a major ruling earlier this year that found Google had violated antitrust laws by using its dominant position in search to block competition. The proposal, if successful, could lead to one of the most significant antitrust penalties in decades, not only targeting Google’s monopoly in search but also its expansion into artificial intelligence (AI).
The case centers on Google’s tactics that made its search engine the default on billions of devices, including those running Chrome, Android, and iOS. The DOJ argues that these tactics stifle competition and give Google an unfair advantage, effectively blocking smaller search engines like Bing and DuckDuckGo from gaining traction. In their filing, the DOJ’s lawyers contend that forcing Google to sell Chrome could help break its monopoly and restore competitive balance in the search market.
A crucial aspect of the DOJ’s request is the push to end Google’s exclusive deals with major companies like Apple and Samsung, which have locked in Google as the default search engine on millions of devices worldwide. These agreements, which a court previously ruled to be anticompetitive, have solidified Google’s dominance in the search market, making it nearly impossible for smaller players to compete. The DOJ also advocates for Google to share its search results with rival search engines for the next decade, helping to level the playing field and promote competition.
Google, however, has vehemently opposed the DOJ’s proposal. Kent Walker, Google’s Chief Legal Officer, described the DOJ’s move as “extreme” and warned that forcing the company to share user data with competitors could compromise privacy and security. Google has pledged to appeal the proposal and intends to submit its own counterproposal to the court in December.
This legal action is part of a larger effort to address Google’s dominance across various sectors, from search and advertising to AI. The DOJ also calls for restrictions on how Google uses data from websites to train its AI tools, an issue that has drawn criticism from competitors like Microsoft, which fears that Google’s vast data resources give it an unfair advantage in the AI race.
The case brings to mind the landmark Microsoft antitrust case of the 1990s, which resulted in a settlement that required Microsoft to open up its platform to competitors, allowing browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome to thrive. The parallels between Microsoft’s and Google’s dominance are clear, with both companies accused of using their market power to block competition and harm innovation.
If the DOJ’s proposal is approved, it could mark a major turning point in the tech industry. The potential breakup of Google could disrupt the way millions of people interact with the internet, affecting not just search but also AI, digital advertising, and other core products. As the case moves through the courts, the final decision, expected in 2025, could reshape the digital landscape and pave the way for a more competitive and diverse tech market.
