The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed that Google divest its Chrome browser as part of efforts to dismantle the company’s alleged illegal monopoly in the online search market.
This recommendation, filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, adds to the escalating antitrust case against Google. In August, District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly by leveraging its dominance in the search industry to stifle competition and control critical internet access points. Prosecutors suggest that Google’s control over these key distribution channels reinforces its dominance, making it necessary to implement severe remedies. These include not only divesting Chrome but also potentially spinning off the Android operating system if it continues to disadvantage competitors.
Furthermore, the DOJ has proposed barring Google from entering exclusionary agreements, such as its contracts to remain the default search engine on Apple products. Additional measures include requiring Google to license its search and ad click data to competitors and allowing publishers to opt out of having their data used to train Google’s AI models. If Chrome is divested, the DOJ recommends prohibiting Google from reentering the browser market for five years and restricting its ownership of rival AI-driven search technologies or ad platforms.
The proposed remedies reflect the DOJ’s broader aim of addressing what it sees as an entrenched monopoly. Should the court accept these measures, Google could face significant obstacles, particularly in competing with AI-focused rivals like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Anthropic.
Google responded sharply to the DOJ’s proposals, calling them a “radical interventionist agenda” that threatens to harm consumers, developers, and the U.S.’s global tech leadership. Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer, argued that the measures would compromise user privacy and security, degrade the quality of services like Chrome and Android, and hinder partnerships with companies like Mozilla Firefox that rely on Google Search revenue.
Walker also warned that the proposals would restrict users’ access to Google Search and weaken the company’s competitive standing in the rapidly evolving AI industry.
As the case advances, Google is set to formally respond to the DOJ’s filing next month. The court’s decision on the appropriate remedies is expected to be finalized in 2025.