The US government has made a bold move by requesting a judge to consider breaking up Google as part of a significant antitrust crackdown on the tech giant. The Department of Justice filed a court document on Wednesday urging the restructuring of Google’s operations, which includes selling its widely used Chrome browser. The government is also proposing to prohibit Google from being the default search engine on smartphones and to prevent it from leveraging its Android mobile operating system.
If the suggested remedies do not effectively address Google’s anti-competitive practices, the government is also recommending that the tech company be forced to sell off its Android operating system. This marks a major shift in the approach of US regulators towards tech giants, as they have generally refrained from taking such drastic actions since the failed attempt to break up Microsoft two decades ago.
The case is expected to progress with Google presenting its recommendations in a filing next month. Both parties will have the opportunity to present their arguments at a hearing scheduled for April before US District Court Judge Amit Mehta. However, regardless of the judge’s ruling, Google is likely to appeal the decision, leading to a lengthy legal process that could ultimately be decided by the US Supreme Court.
The outcome of the case may also be influenced by the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to take office in January. The new administration could choose to continue pursuing the case, seek a settlement with Google, or abandon the antitrust action altogether.
Trump has expressed mixed views on how to address the dominance of big tech companies like Google. While he has criticized Google for alleged bias against conservative content, he has also indicated that breaking up the company may be too extreme of a measure for the government to take.
The trial, which concluded last year, focused on Google’s agreements with smartphone manufacturers, particularly Apple, to secure its search engine as the default option on devices. These agreements, which involved significant payments, granted Google access to valuable user data, allowing it to strengthen its position as a dominant player in the global search engine market.
According to the court ruling, Google held a 90% share of the US online search market in 2020, with an even higher market share of 95% on mobile devices. The US government currently has multiple antitrust cases against major tech companies, including Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Google, signaling a more aggressive stance towards regulating the tech industry under the Biden administration.
(This article is auto-generated and has not been edited by the NDTV staff)
