The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has called for the breakup of the tech giant.
The DOJ urged a federal judge to order the sale of Google's widely used Chrome browser. This action is part of a broader strategy to dismantle Google's dominance in the tech industry.
The DOJ's proposals don't stop at Chrome. They also seek to terminate Google's agreements to be the default search engine on smartphones, a move aimed at curbing Google's market power.
Furthermore, the DOJ has proposed measures to prevent Google from leveraging its Android operating system to maintain its market dominance. If these remedies prove insufficient, the DOJ suggests that Google should be compelled to divest Android entirely.
This aggressive stance represents one of the most assertive antitrust actions against a major tech company in decades. The DOJ's efforts are part of a larger initiative to address the dominance of big tech companies, with similar cases pending against Amazon, Meta, and Apple. Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs, criticized the DOJ's filing, describing it as a "radical interventionist agenda." He warned that such a breakup could disrupt Google's product ecosystem, stifle innovation in artificial intelligence, and threaten America's global technological leadership.
The case signifies a historic shift in the US government's approach to regulating tech companies, following years of relative inaction since the failed attempt to break up Microsoft in the early 2000s.
A hearing is scheduled for April, with Google set to respond in a filing next month. Judge Amit Mehta, who recently ruled Google as a monopoly, will preside over the proceedings. Any decision is likely to be appealed, potentially reaching the US Supreme Court and taking years to resolve.
The outcome of this case could also be influenced by political changes, as President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration may adopt a different approach to antitrust enforcement.
Trump has previously criticized Google for alleged bias against conservatives but has expressed skepticism about breaking up major tech companies.
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