The US Department of Justice’s proposed remedies for its 2020 search distribution lawsuit would harm America’s economy, technological leadership, and consumer privacy. Google disagrees with the Court’s decision and plans to appeal. The proposed remedies would make it harder for consumers to access their preferred services, raise prices, slow innovation, and jeopardize private search queries.
The plan would force browsers and phones to default to Microsoft’s Bing, making it harder to access Google. Device makers and web browsers rely on the revenue from search distribution, which removing could raise phone costs and hinder daily browsing experiences. Furthermore, Google’s proposal would expose users’ sensitive search queries to unknown companies without their permission, risking privacy and security.
The plan also aims to regulate AI development, impose a government-appointed committee’s design and development, and split off Chrome and Android from Google’s technical infrastructure. This would introduce cybersecurity risks, increase device costs, and undermine security.
Google proposes alternative remedies focusing on the contestability of search distribution contracts, which could address concerns without harming consumers or the economy. The US Supreme Court has emphasized caution in antitrust remedies.
Source: https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/public-policy/doj-search-remedies-apr-2025