Almost two decades after Microsoft, Google is sailing in the same boat. In a recent proposal, the Department of Justice recommended that Google sell off Chrome to end its monopoly over the search engine market. On November 20, the DOJ filed an official paperwork of 23 pages suggesting Google sell off Chrome as well as Android.
The proposal also bans Google from “acquiring any stakes in the rivals, potential competitors, and rival search or search ad-related AI product,” and lets go of any existing holdings. Additionally, the document calls for a halt to all payments to partners, made to keep competitors away, specifically Apple, to make sure that Google is the only default search engine.
Why the US DOJ Wants Google to Sell Chrome?
American Authorities have been keeping an eye on Google and several other tech giants having a monopoly over the internet and web search. In August 2024, a federal judge ruled that Alphabet had a monopoly over the online search and ads.
District Judge Amit Mehta agreed with the U.S. Department of Justice ruling that Google broke the law as it paid $41 billion to ensure it was the only search engine on smartphones and browsers. Now, the DOJ has offered a proposal wanting Google to divest Chrome which will help permanently prevent Google from controlling critical search access points and allow rival search engines to access the browser.
The DOJ argued that the browser is a gateway to search for most internet users if Chrome is no longer associated with Google, it wouldn’t be a default search engine associated with the browser. This will provide other search engines a fair chance to foot in the market which has been ruled by a single company for decade.
The DOJ has also offered to halt Google from releasing any new web browser for the coming five years. Google would be banned from paying anticompetitors money and if there is no improvement in the market, it would need to sell the Android Operating System too.
The official proposal of the DOJ will be brought after the District Judge Amit Mehta, and he will take a final decision. Considering prior rulings, Judge Mehta has strongly agreed to a monopoly of Google on the internet and browsing. However, we can have a clear idea only after a verdict of the District Judge.
Google’s Response to the DOJ’s Antitrust Allegations
Google looks overwhelmed as it released a blog post in response to the DOJ allegations. In the post, Kent Walker, Chief Legal Officer of Google Global Affairs called the proposal, “wildly overboard.”
Walker accused the Department of Justice saying that they are pursuing “a radical interventionist agenda that would harm Americans and America’s global technology leadership.” He went all the way to criticize the proposal of the DOJ in a blog post. However, there is a lot to happen legally before Google has a last option to sell Chrome.
While the DOJ’s proposal to force Google to sell Chrome and possibly Android is a significant development, it draws comparisons to Microsoft’s 2001 antitrust case. Despite Microsoft’s market dominance, the company avoided a breakup after its antitrust issues were resolved with settlements and adjustments. This raises questions about whether Google will face a similar fate or be required to make more drastic changes. Only time and the final decision of Judge Mehta will determine if Google’s future mirrors Microsoft’s past.
