The U.S. Department of Justice is contemplating requesting a federal judge to consider breaking up Google by selling parts of its business to address its dominance in online search, amidst the ongoing antitrust case proceedings. Federal prosecutors revealed in a recent court filing that the judge could potentially require Google to divest certain sections of its business and provide competitors with access to the underlying data used to power its search engine and AI technologies.
The filing highlighted concerns about Google’s control over distribution channels, which have limited competition and innovation in the market for over a decade. The Department of Justice emphasized the importance of not only ending Google’s current control over distribution but also preventing it from controlling future distribution avenues. Possible structural changes could involve restrictions on Google’s use of products like the Chrome browser, Android operating system, AI technologies, and app store to favour its search business. Additionally, the filing targeted Google’s default search agreements, proposing limitations or bans on such deals.
In response to the filing, Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, criticised the Department of Justice for seeking remedies that she believed exceeded the scope of the legal issues at hand. Mulholland warned that government intervention in a rapidly evolving industry could have adverse effects on American innovation and consumers. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta previously ruled that Google’s search engine had been leveraging its dominance to stifle competition and innovation unlawfully. He has set a trial timeline for next spring to discuss potential remedies and aims to deliver a final decision by August 2025.
Google has expressed intentions to challenge Mehta’s ruling but must await finalisation of the remedy before pursuing an appeal. Legal experts predict that the appeals process could stretch over five years. George Hay, a law professor at Cornell University and former chief economist for the Justice Department’s antitrust division, offered this timeline projection. As the case progresses, the tech giant faces significant legal challenges and potential structural changes as authorities seek to address concerns of anti-competitive practices.