The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly preparing to request that Alphabet’s Google sell its Google Chrome browser. If this happens, it could be one of the most aggressive antitrust actions against Big Tech in recent years. This follows an August ruling by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta that found Google had violated antitrust laws and built an illegal monopoly.
The DOJ is expected to present its proposal on Wednesday. The proposal also includes stricter regulations on Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) systems, Android, and data practices. Key proposals include forcing Google to sell Chrome, separating Android from Search and Google Play, Restricting Google’s AI content usage, banning exclusive search contracts, and Expanding advertiser control and transparency. These measures aim to curb Google’s dominance across multiple tech sectors.
DOJ sees Chrome as a critical tool in Google’s ecosystem. It is because Google uses Chrome to collect data for its advertising business and also pushes its Search engine to have a monopoly in the Internet search market.
We also know that Chrome is at the center of Google’s advertising model. Users sign into Chrome with their Google accounts and allow Google to collect their browsing data. Google uses the data to serve more personalized and effective ads to boost its ads revenue. Just to give you an idea of how big Google’s ads business is, The search and advertising revenue of Google rose 10% to $65.9 billion in the last quarter.
Google strongly opposed the DOJ’s proposals and insisted that the proposal would harm consumers, developers, and the U.S.’s technological leadership. The company also argues that its search engine and browser dominance is a result of superior quality and user choice.
District Judge Amit Mehta has scheduled a trial in April 2025 for the case. Google has already confirmed its plans to appeal the final ruling which is expected by August 2025. In the meantime, the government may explore alternative remedies to solve the matter.
