The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) escalated its antitrust battle with Google, urging a federal judge to order the company to divest its popular Chrome browser.
The DOJ also seeks restrictions on Google’s business practices, including bans on deals that secure its search engine as the default on smartphones and measures addressing its control over the Android operating system.
In its court filing, the DOJ proposed that Google may also need to divest Android if existing remedies fail to curtail its dominance.
Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, criticized the DOJ’s move, calling it a “radical interventionist agenda” that would harm consumers, developers, and small businesses, while threatening technological innovation and U.S. global leadership.
This push marks a major shift in U.S. antitrust enforcement, representing the most significant regulatory challenge to a tech giant since the government’s unsuccessful attempt to break up Microsoft two decades ago.
The DOJ’s recommendations follow a landmark August ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta, which declared Google a monopoly.
Judge Mehta determined that Google’s confidential agreements with smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, gave it an unmatched edge in user data collection.
These deals enabled Google to cement its dominance in search and expand its ecosystem to include Chrome, Maps, and Android.
Google is set to file its response in December, with court hearings scheduled for April.
Regardless of the decision, Google is expected to appeal, potentially extending the legal battle for years and possibly taking it to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The case could also see a shift in direction with the Trump administration assuming office in January.
The incoming leadership may opt to continue the case, pursue a settlement, or drop the matter entirely.
President Elect, Trump has expressed mixed opinions on big tech, accusing Google of bias against conservative content while suggesting that a forced breakup may be too drastic.
Walker cautioned that the DOJ’s proposals would result in “unprecedented government overreach” and disrupt Google’s product ecosystem, jeopardizing its artificial intelligence advancements.
Similarly, Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the industry trade group Chamber of Progress, dismissed the DOJ’s demands as “fantastical” and called for more focused solutions.
The DOJ’s action is part of a broader crackdown on big tech.
The U.S. government is currently pursuing five antitrust cases against major companies, including Amazon, Meta, and Apple.
These cases, along with the two against Google, could take years to resolve, setting the stage for a prolonged legal battle over digital competition.
AFP
