A US federal judge will decide how to punish Google for its alleged monopoly on the search engine market after closing arguments in a 25-year-old antitrust case. Nine months ago, a judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly in search engines and this trial is the final phase.
Lawyers for the Justice Department want aggressive remedies, including forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser and license some of its core search technology. However, Google strongly objects, suggesting lighter alternatives like stopping exclusive agreements with device makers and establishing an oversight committee.
The case began in 2020, focusing on Google’s contracts with device makers requiring it to be the default search engine. The DOJ now wants Google to be barred from making these exclusive deals. They argue that Google will likely win each search distribution opportunity due to its monopoly advantage.
Google maintains it has agreed to roll back those agreements and is willing to make some changes, such as stopping exclusivity deals for its AI programs and opening itself up to an oversight committee. The company also opposes sharing its search data with AI developers, saying it would jeopardize user privacy and security.
The judge will issue a decision in August, but Google may appeal the finding that the company violated antitrust laws. The Justice Department is also investigating whether Google broke antitrust law in a deal with chatbot maker Character.AI.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/30/nx-s1-5413538/google-search-antitrust-remedies-trial-closing-arguments