The DOJ May Seek to Break Up Google Following Monopoly Ruling
Late last night, the Department of Justice (DOJ) signaled that it is considering a potential breakup of Google as an antitrust remedy following a monopoly ruling. Naturally, Google plans to appeal, which could drag the process through the courts for years. A breakup would be one of the most severe outcomes of this case, far beyond what many initially anticipated.
You can read the DOJ's 32-page document, issued last night, here.
To clarify, this is not the final ruling—just the DOJ's early recommendations. Judge Amit Mehta is expected to decide on potential remedies by August 2025, with appeals likely stretching beyond that.
The proposals go beyond simply breaking up the company, which could involve separating Chrome, Android, and other entities. The DOJ's suggested remedies include:
- Google making its search index and model data available to competitors
- Providing access to its AI-powered search features
- Sharing ad ranking data with rivals
- Enforcing stricter privacy regulations on data retention
- Limiting partnership agreements with Apple and other companies
- And more...
According to CNBC, the DOJ's filing suggested that “remedies to prevent and restrain monopoly maintenance could include contract restrictions, non-discrimination requirements, data sharing mandates, and structural changes.”
The DOJ is also considering behavioral and structural remedies to prevent Google from using products like Chrome, Play, and Android to give its search engine an unfair advantage, particularly in emerging areas like AI-powered search.
In response, Google criticized the DOJ's proposal, calling it radical and overreaching. Google argued:
"The DOJ today shared a broad outline of drastic changes it may pursue as part of its case against how we distribute Search. This is just the beginning, and we’ll respond in detail to the DOJ's full proposals in court next year. However, we're concerned that the DOJ is signaling demands that go far beyond the legal issues in this case.
This case focuses on specific search distribution contracts. Instead, the government appears to be pursuing a sweeping agenda that could affect numerous industries and products, with serious unintended consequences for consumers, businesses, and U.S. competitiveness. The DOJ's outline comes at a time when competition in how people find information is flourishing, with new entrants and innovations like AI reshaping the industry."
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