According to the Department of Justice (DoJ) complaint, Google has locked down the market by ensuring that, regardless of how the web evolves, its search engine remains essential. "Google has created an economic giant that distorts competition and ensures it always wins," the US government claims. To restore balance, the justice system wants to impose on Google to completely divest Chrome and all associated data.
US justice tightens the noose on Google
Concretely, this means that Google could lose control of a browser used by 3.4 billion people. Even worse for the company: it would no longer be allowed to launch a new browser during the judgment, even if it could still contribute to the open source Chromium project. For Google, this is a direct attack on its ecosystem. A company spokesperson denounced the measures as "disproportionate." that would jeopardize innovation and user security.
While the American justice system no longer forces Google to sell Android, it intends to prevent it from using it as a tool to further lock down the market. Google will no longer be able to impose its search engine or AI tools on Android devices. Furthermore, it will be prohibited from pressuring its partners to favor its own services.
As for artificial intelligence, Google is avoiding a forced separation of its investments, particularly in companies like Anthropic. But from now on, each new acquisition in this area will have to be reported to the government. A way to keep an eye on how Google is developing its influence in AI without imposing a brutal brake on it.
This standoff between Google and the American justice system is far from over. For now, Omeed Assefi heads the antitrust division of the Department of Justice, but Gail Slater, Trump's nominee, could toughen her stance even further once she is confirmed.
Google, for its part, still hopes to have the decision overturned on appeal. If the courts uphold its demands, the company will have to rethink part of its business model. And if it succeeds in If the situation is reversed, these discussions about sanctions will become obsolete. Until then, the battle promises to be intense and has the potential to permanently change the technological landscape.
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