The US Justice Department is set to begin opening arguments in the remedy phase of Google’s antitrust trial, seeking significant changes to the company’s business practices. The government aims to convince the court that Google should be forced to divest Chrome and unbundle Android, while also making other fundamental adjustments.
Google, however, plans to portray the government’s proposals as extreme and rooted in past grievances. Despite this, the DOJ has a strong advantage, having established that Google is guilty of violating antitrust laws by maintaining monopoly power in search services and general search advertising.
The trial takes place at a time when Google is facing increased scrutiny due to recent losses in high-profile antitrust cases. A court recently ruled that Google abused its monopoly in advertising technology, and the company’s app store case remains on hold pending appeal. The remedy phase of this trial has significant implications for the balance of power on the internet.
The outcome of the trial will determine what actions can be taken against Google to address its antitrust issues. As the trial unfolds, it is clear that the fate of Google hangs in the balance, with potential changes having far-reaching consequences for the company and the tech industry as a whole.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/04/chrome-on-the-chopping-block-as-googles-search-antitrust-trial-moves-forward