US Department of Justice Considers Legal Action to End Google’s Search Dominance

The US Department of Justice may request that a judge order Google to sell off portions of its company in order to lessen its dominance.

The US Department of Justice is considering asking a federal judge to order Google to sell off a chunk of its company in order to challenge the company’s dominance in online search.

Federal prosecutors hinted that the judge would possibly think about ordering Google to reveal the fundamental data it uses to maintain its popular search engine and artificial intelligence services to competitors in a recent court filing on Tuesday.

In the petition, the antitrust authorities stated, “Google has controlled the most popular distribution channels for more than a decade, leaving rivals with little to no incentive to compete for users.”

“Not only must Google’s distribution control end now, but Google must also be prevented from controlling distribution in the future in order to fully redress these harms.”

The department is thinking about asking for structural changes to its Android operating system, Chrome browser, AI products, or app store to stop Google from abusing its search business. Prosecutors also seem to highlight Google’s default search agreements in the document, and they say that any corrective measures would restrict or outright forbid these agreements.

The Department of Justice was already suggesting wants that went beyond the particular legal difficulties in this case, according to Google’s vice president of regulatory relations, Lee-Anne Mulholland, in response to the submission.

“Government overreach in a fast-moving industry may have negative unintended consequences for American consumers and innovation,” the speaker said.

In August, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta found that Google’s search engine has been using its dominance to stifle competition and obstruct innovation illegally. In the forthcoming spring, he has suggested holding a trial for the suggested cures, and he plans to make a determination by August 2025.

Though the internet giant must wait to act until Mehta provides a remedy, Google has already stated that it intends to appeal Mehta’s ruling. According to Cornell University law professor George Hay, who headed the Justice Department’s antitrust division’s economics division for most of the 1970s, the appeals process can take up to five years.