The US government has proposed a landmark antitrust case against Google, suggesting the company be broken up due to concerns over its search monopoly. The proposal includes forcing Google to sell its popular Chrome browser and Android smartphone operating system. If successful, the remedies could fundamentally alter the $2 trillion company’s business and reshape competition on the internet.
A federal court judge was asked to approve the government’s request, which aims to address the alleged dominance of Google in online search. The proposal includes measures such as requiring Google to allow rival search engines to display its results and have access to its data for a decade.
If adopted, these remedies would be among the most significant antitrust actions taken against a tech company since the 2000 case involving Microsoft. Regulators have been cracking down on tech giants in recent years, with lawsuits against Apple, Amazon, and Meta also underway.
Google has responded to the proposal by calling it “extreme” and saying it goes beyond the court’s decision. The company will submit its own suggestions for fixing the search monopoly by December 20.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/technology/google-search-chrome-doj.html