The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has proposed significant structural and operational changes to Google in an effort to dismantle its monopoly on Search services. These recommendations, submitted to a federal court in Washington, include the forced sale of Google’s Chrome browser, a five-year ban from re-entering the browser market, restrictions on paying third parties to set Google as the default search engine, and potential divestment of the Android operating system if the initial remedies prove insufficient.
This push follows an August ruling where a federal judge determined that Google, owned by Alphabet, maintained an illegal monopoly over the search market. The DoJ argues that Google’s dominance stems from anti-competitive practices, requiring measures to level the playing field and restore competition.
“The playing field is not level because of Google’s conduct, and Google’s quality reflects the ill-gotten gains of an advantage illegally acquired,” stated the DoJ. “The remedy must close this gap and deprive Google of these advantages.”
Key proposals include making Google’s search index and results accessible to competitors and allowing publishers and content creators to prevent their data from being used to train Google’s artificial intelligence models.
The sale of Chrome, which could be valued at up to $20 billion, is also central to the DoJ’s strategy, as the browser serves as a critical gateway for users accessing Google Search.
Why is this important?
Chrome holds over 50% of the U.S. browser market, while Google Search dominates about 90% of the global search market.
The DoJ also recommends prohibiting Google from acquiring or investing in rival search engines, AI-based query products, or advertising technologies. Judge Amit Mehta, who presided over the earlier ruling, will decide on the proposed remedies next year. A hearing is set for April 2025, where Google is expected to present its own proposals.
Google has criticised the DoJ’s recommendations as overly intrusive and harmful to consumers and businesses. Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs and chief legal officer, described the proposals as “staggering and extreme,” cautioning that they would compromise product functionality and threaten user privacy and security.
The case’s outcome may also depend on the stance of the incoming U.S. administration, as new leadership could influence enforcement priorities. Meanwhile, the DoJ emphasises that its measures are essential to curbing Google’s unlawful behavior, which has deprived competitors of critical distribution channels and hindered innovation in the search and AI markets.