The U.S. Justice Department has signaled it is considering recommending that Google divest parts of its operations to mitigate the monopolization of the online search market. This potential breakup of the tech giant could mark a historic antitrust action, following the Department’s ongoing lawsuit against the company.
According to a court filing on Tuesday, antitrust enforcers told Judge Amit Mehta that Alphabet Inc.’s Google may also be compelled to grant access to the data it uses to generate search results and develop artificial intelligence (AI) products. The case against Google, which accuses it of illegally maintaining its dominance in search and search-related advertising, has moved to the remedy phase.
In the filing, the Justice Department expressed that it is evaluating both behavioral and structural remedies to prevent Google from leveraging its products—such as Chrome, Android, and Google Play—to unfairly promote its search engine and related products over competitors. The filing mentions concerns about Google’s influence on emerging technologies, including AI, and its exclusionary agreements with other tech companies that make its search engine the default option on smartphones and web browsers.
The case represents the U.S. government’s first major effort to dismantle a company for monopolistic behavior since its failed attempt to break up Microsoft two decades ago. A 32-page document presented various options for Judge Mehta to consider as potential remedies, which include structural changes like breaking off parts of Google’s business and new rules that could prevent the company from stifling competition.
Other measures under consideration include restrictions on Google’s ability to invest in competitors or emerging rivals, mandates requiring the company to provide advertisers with greater control over the placement of ads, and allowing websites to opt out of Google’s AI products.
The Justice Department is expected to present a more detailed proposal of remedies next month. Meanwhile, Google, which intends to appeal a recent ruling finding it in violation of antitrust laws in both online search and search text advertising markets, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This marks a pivotal moment in the battle over Big Tech’s dominance, as regulators increasingly scrutinize the market power of companies like Google.