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The case highlights the growing regulatory focus on Big Tech’s influence and raises questions about balancing innovation with fair competition
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed that Google sell its browser, Google Chrome, to address concerns about its dominance in the search and digital advertising markets.
The recommendation is part of a wider antitrust case following a court ruling in August that found Google had illegally maintained a monopoly over online search engines.
Back in 2020, the DOJ sued Google, accusing it of dominating the internet search market through anticompetitive contracts, exclusionary practices, and the preferential treatment of its own services. It highlighted Google’s agreements with other companies to make its search engine the default on devices and browsers, which the DOJ argued harmed competition.
The DOJ also separately suing Google, accusing the company of monopolising the adtech market.
As a result, the DOJ’s recommendations includes several measures aimed at create healthy competition in the search market. These include:
- Divestment of Chrome: Separating Chrome from Google’s ecosystem could weaken the company’s monopoly on both search engines and advertising.
- Unbundling Android: Google may be required to decouple its Android operating system from services like Google Search and Google Play, which are currently bundled together.
- Introducing new data and AI rules: Websites should have the option to opt out of contributing data to Google’s AI training, and Google might also be required to share search data with competitor.
Google has responded to these proposals by arguing that such drastic steps could harm consumers and developers as a result of disrupting services and slowing innovation. The company also continues to claim that its dominance is the result of offering superior products, and not unfair practices.
If the court approves the DOJ’s recommendations, the impact could reach far beyond Google. Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, used by over 60% of internet users, and a forced sale would mark one of the most regulatory actions against a major tech company in many years.
The next court hearing is scheduled for April next year, with a final decision expected by August.
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