Google is facing an existential threat as the US government tries to break up the company due to allegations of operating a monopoly in search. A three-week hearing began on Monday, where federal antitrust enforcers will determine how to penalize Google.
The Justice Department’s proposal includes banning Google from striking deals with Apple and other tech companies that shield its search engine from competition, forcing it to share user data with rivals, and selling its popular Chrome browser. Google’s attorney argued that the proposed remedies would unfairly favor lesser rivals with inferior technology.
A federal judge previously ruled in 2023 that Google had been making anti-competitive deals to lock in its search engine as the go-to place for digital information on widely used devices. The Justice Department is now seeking to prove that radical steps must be taken to rein in Google and its corporate parent, Alphabet Inc.
The proposed penalties were originally made under President Joe Biden’s term but are still being pursued by the Justice Department under President Donald Trump. The case has been joined by 49 states, demonstrating the non-partisan nature of the case.
Google will face a radical shake-up if the court orders it to sell its popular Chrome browser or share its repository of valuable user data with rivals. The hearing also marks a critical moment in the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) in search, as top executives from AI companies like ChatGPT maker’s OpenAI are expected to testify.
The proposed remedies aim to prevent Google from using AI to strengthen its existing search monopoly. A federal judge will make his decision on the remedies by Labor Day, and Google has filed an appeal of last year’s ruling that branded its search engine as an illegal monopoly.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/google-search-monopoly-breakup-chrome-09b695c8de6c91b3d1e1b5305393f235