The US government made a bold move late Wednesday by requesting a judge to order the dismantling of Google, specifically calling for the sale of its popular Chrome browser, as part of a major antitrust crackdown on the tech giant.
In a court filing, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) urged for sweeping changes to Google’s business practices, including banning its lucrative deals that secure Google as the default search engine on smartphones and limiting its use of the Android operating system.
The DOJ’s filing also proposed that Google be required to sell Android if its current business practices are not restructured to prevent the company from leveraging its control over the mobile operating system for competitive advantage.
According to the DOJ, Google’s dominance in the mobile space is unfairly stifling competition and harming consumers.
Google quickly responded, with Kent Walker, the company’s president of global affairs, calling the DOJ’s actions “radical” and accusing officials of pushing an “interventionist agenda” that would hurt American consumers and small businesses.
Walker also warned that the proposal could chill Google’s investments, particularly in the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence (AI).
This marks a significant shift in US regulatory action against big tech. The government’s aggressive stance on Google is reminiscent of the failed attempt to break up Microsoft over two decades ago. However, if the DOJ’s plans move forward, it would represent one of the most drastic interventions in the tech industry to date.
The legal battle stems from a decision made last year by US District Court Judge Amit Mehta, who ruled that Google is a monopoly in the search engine market. In August, Mehta determined that Google’s exclusive deals with smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, to make Google the default search engine gave the company unfair access to vast amounts of user data, solidifying its market dominance.
The DOJ argues that these arrangements, which involve significant payments to companies like Apple, have allowed Google to build its empire, expanding into other services such as the Chrome browser, Maps, and the Android operating system. This comprehensive control over search, data, and mobile services has made it difficult for competitors to gain a foothold in the market.
The proposed remedy, however, has drawn heavy criticism from industry leaders. Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the Chamber of Progress, an industry trade group, called the DOJ’s demands “fantastical” and out of step with legal standards, advocating instead for more narrowly tailored solutions to the alleged issues.
Google is expected to present its own recommendations in a filing next month, and both sides will argue their positions in a hearing scheduled for April before Judge Mehta. Regardless of the court’s decision, Google is expected to appeal, which could delay the outcome for years and potentially bring the case to the US Supreme Court for a final ruling.
The ongoing case highlights the growing tension between the US government’s desire to rein in the power of tech giants and the industry’s resistance to what it views as overreach. As this historic case progresses, the future of Google and its dominance in the tech landscape hangs in the balance.
