Federal Prosecutors May Seek to Break Up Google’s Search Monopoly

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering asking a federal judge to order Google to separate its search business from other parts of the company, in an effort to address its alleged illegal monopoly over online search.

The potential move could be one of several structural remedies aimed at curbing Google’s dominance.

In a late Tuesday court filing, federal prosecutors outlined a range of possible actions, including breaking up Google’s search engine from its other major products like Chrome, Android, and the Play Store. Other options under consideration include barring Google from making agreements that guarantee its search engine as the default on devices and requiring the company to share its search data with competitors.

The DOJ’s filing asserts that Google’s “anticompetitive conduct” has caused widespread harm across markets that are critical to both individuals and businesses, emphasizing the need to restore competition.

“These markets are indispensable to the lives of all Americans… The importance of effectively unfettering these markets and restoring competition cannot be overstated,” the filing reads.

Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, criticized the government’s proposals in a blog post, describing them as “radical changes” that could have far-reaching consequences. Mulholland expressed concerns that breaking up Google’s integrated services like Search, Chrome, and Android would harm the competition, particularly against rivals like Apple.

“This is the start of a long process,” Mulholland wrote.

She added that Google will respond in detail to the DOJ’s proposals in court next year.

The DOJ’s push for remedies follows US District Judge Amit Mehta’s August ruling, which found Google had illegally maintained its monopoly over online search and related advertising. Judge Mehta has scheduled a trial for spring 2025 to address potential remedies, with a final decision expected by August of that year.

This antitrust case is one of several legal challenges Google is facing. The company is currently involved in a separate trial over its advertising technology dominance and recently lost a case to Epic Games, which resulted in a federal judge ordering Google to open its Play Store to rival third-party app stores.

Google has indicated plans to appeal Judge Mehta’s ruling but must wait until a remedy is finalized before initiating the appeal process. Legal experts predict the appeals process could take several years.