The internet behemoth has been accused of maintaining an unlawful monopoly in online search by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), which has demanded that Google sell off its Chrome browser. The DOJ suggested measures to limit Google’s hegemony in a filing with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, such as limiting its contracts with outside businesses like Apple and spinning off Android.
Google’s final penalty will be determined by Judge Amit Mehta, who found in August that the company had exploited its control of the search market. This 2025 choice has the potential to change the structure of the internet and transform one of the biggest corporations in the world. The DOJ stressed that the search industry is uncompetitive due to Google’s unfair distribution methods, which include its control of Chrome and Android.
The filing also proposed preventing Google from entering exclusionary contracts, such as its agreement to make Google Search the default on Apple devices. The DOJ further recommended that Google license its search and ad click data to competitors and face limitations in the browser and AI markets for years post-divestment. These measures could hinder Google’s ability to compete with AI leaders like OpenAI and Microsoft.
Google criticized the DOJ’s filing as an overreach. Kent Walker, Google’s chief legal officer, argued that the proposals would harm consumers, developers, and America’s global tech leadership. Walker warned of potential risks to user privacy and security, reduced browser quality, and disruptions to services like Mozilla Firefox, which depends on Google Search for funding.
Walker contended that divesting Chrome and imposing strict AI limitations would hurt Google’s competitiveness in the search and AI industries. He called the DOJ’s proposals “radical” and detrimental to innovation.
Google plans to formally respond next month. Meanwhile, the DOJ’s push aligns with growing scrutiny of Google’s practices, especially as Chrome commands 61% of the U.S. browser market, according to StatCounter.