DOJ proposes breakup of Google to address search monopoly

DOJ has proposed forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser and potentially its Android operating system, which Samsung Galaxy and other phones run, to address its illegal search monopoly. The remedies follow Judge Amit Mehta's August ruling that Google’s dominance in online search violates antitrust laws. The proposed breakup could disrupt Google’s ecosystem, which ties its search engine to popular platforms like Chrome and Android, and the forthcoming Gemini AI platform.

If adopted, DOJ’s plan would prevent Google from paying partners such as Apple to make its search engine the default on devices, a practice that generated $26 billion in 2021. Additionally, Google would need to allow competitors access to its search data and allow publishers to opt out of their contents’ training Google's AI models.

The case underscores a broader regulatory push to challenge tech giants' dominance, with lawsuits also targeting Apple, Amazon, and Meta. Of course, an election also happened.

The proposal arrives as generative AI transforms search, intensifying competition between Google's Bard, OpenAI's ChatGPT (powered by Microsoft Azure), and Meta’s Llama. Judge Mehta will hold remedies hearings in April, with a final ruling expected by late summer. Google’s appeal could delay any impacts for years, leaving its government and enterprise users in limbo.