The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed that Google relinquish ownership of its Chrome browser to address what it describes as the company’s illegal dominance in the online search industry. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the DOJ’s recommendation includes a ban on Google re-entering the search market for five years if the proposed remedies are approved.
District Court Judge Amit Mehta, who previously ruled in August that Google had unlawfully monopolized the search market, will ultimately decide the consequences for the tech giant. The next phase of the trial, set for 2025, could reshape Google’s role in the tech ecosystem and influence the broader internet landscape.
Judge Mehta criticized Google for abusing its control over search gateways and securing default search engine agreements through significant payments to third parties. The DOJ’s recent filing highlights Chrome and Android as critical distribution channels that strengthen Google’s search monopoly, complicating efforts to level the playing field in the search industry.
In addition to the proposed divestment of Chrome, the DOJ suggested Google spin off its Android operating system unless it takes actionable steps to ensure Android does not disadvantage rival search platforms. The department also called for an end to exclusivity contracts, such as Google’s agreement with Apple to remain the default search engine on Apple devices.
Other proposed measures include licensing Google’s search and advertising data to competitors, imposing restrictions on acquiring competing search or advertising technologies, and giving publishers the option to prevent Google from using their data for training AI models.
If the court accepts these remedies, Google could lose significant ground in the AI race, particularly against rivals like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Anthropic.
Google labeled the DOJ’s recommendations as “extreme” and argued they would harm consumers and undermine the U.S.’s technological edge globally.
Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer, stated that the proposals extend far beyond the court’s initial findings. He warned of potential security and privacy risks, diminished performance for Chrome and Android, and negative impacts on services like Mozilla Firefox, which relies on Google Search for funding.
Walker also argued that the DOJ’s approach could impede users’ ability to access Google Search and weaken the company’s competitiveness in AI.
“This unprecedented level of government intervention would hurt American consumers, developers, and businesses while jeopardizing the country’s leadership in the global tech economy,” Walker added. Google is set to submit a formal response to the filing next month.
The DOJ’s filing also reflects earlier discussions about requiring Google to sell Chrome, which holds an estimated 61% share of the U.S. browser market, according to data from StatCounter.
