US Department of Justice admitted the possibility of splitting Google
In August, a court in the United States recognized Google as a monopolist. According to US authorities, Google blocks about 90% of the online search market for competitors.
By RBC
October 31, 2024
The US Department of Justice is considering the possibility of obliging Google to sell part of the business after the court recognized the corporation as a monopolist among search engines, Bloomberg reports.
The US Justice Department is considering asking a federal judge to force Google to sell off parts of its business in what would be a historic breakup of one of the world’s biggest tech companies.
The Ministry of Justice presented its proposals to the court in a 32-page document.
It says the agency is "considering behavioral and structural remedies that will prevent Google from using products such as Chrome, Play, and Android" to gain an advantage in search and the use of artificial intelligence.
According to CNBC, this could lead to a possible division of the tech giant as part of antitrust measures, but experts consider such a scenario unlikely.
Antitrust authorities said Google parent company Alphabet Inc. could be required to provide competitors with access to the data the corporation uses to run its search engine.
The DOJ is also demanding that Google stop paying Apple and other device manufacturers to have its search engine selected by default on their devices and web browsers.
"This victory over Google is a historic victory for the American people. No company, no matter how large or influential, is above the law," the late US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
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Reuters notes that in 2021, the company spent $26.3 billion for these purposes.
DOJ could ask court to make Google divest units like Android, Chrome
More detail on DOJ's proposed remedies by Nov. 20
"For more than a decade, Google has controlled the most popular distribution channels, leaving little to no incentive for competitors to compete for users," the DOJ report said.
According to US authorities, Google blocks about 90% of the online search market for competitors.
The Justice Department is expected to submit a more specific proposal to the court by Nov. 20, and Google will have the opportunity to respond before Dec. 20.
The corporation called the department's report "radical" and noted that it "goes far beyond specific legal issues."
Google claims that its search engine is popular among users because of its quality work and they can choose which search engines to set by default.
The company said it itself faces serious competition from Amazon.
The most likely option, according to experts, will be a requirement for Google to terminate some exclusive agreements, for example, with Apple, and make it easier for users to access other search engines.
READ MORE:
Federal Judge Declares Google a Monopoly – Orders Breakup of Big Tech Giant
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