The US Justice Department is poised to unveil its plan to curb Google’s dominance in the online search market. Following a landmark trial that found the tech giant guilty of monopolistic practices, prosecutors will submit a document outlining potential remedies to restore competition. The fate of Google’s empire hangs in the balance, with possible solutions ranging from breaking up the company to forcing it to share its search engine data with rivals.
District Court Judge Amit Mehta, who ruled in favor of the DOJ, will decide the course of action in a separate “remedies” phase of the trial, likely to begin in 2025. Google has vowed to appeal the ruling, which could delay any orders to alter its behavior. Even if the appeal fails, Judge Mehta may adjust his orders to ensure competition is restored.
A breakup of Google’s empire, although unlikely, would have far-reaching consequences. Divesting its Android operating system, Chrome browser, or AdWords platform could strip the company of multibillion-dollar revenue streams and cut off data that fuels its search and advertising ecosystem. However, legal experts argue that such drastic measures may not be in the public’s best interest, as they could disrupt the services millions of people rely on.
Other potential remedies include ending agreements that secure Google’s search engine as the default on mobile devices and internet browsers. This could have significant implications for companies like Apple, which benefits from these contracts to the tune of $20 billion annually. Targeted search platforms like Yelp and Amazon could also gain from fewer users being directed to Google by default.
The DOJ may also push for Google to share its “click and query” data with rival browsers and search providers, allowing them to refine their search algorithms and compete more effectively. Additionally, the judge could require Google to give consumers a choice of search provider, or force it to temporarily open up its internet index data to rival browser providers.
While some experts believe these remedies could have a significant impact on Google’s dominance, others argue that the company’s bigger threats come from emerging AI-assisted search engines and rival Meta’s gains in attracting advertisers. Judge Mehta will need to consider how to balance restoring competition in the traditional search engine market with the potential impact on the emerging market for AI-assisted search.
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