DOJ Weighs Breaking Up Alphabet After Judge Rules Google Illegally Monopolised Search Market

The U.S. Department of Justice is exploring various options, including potentially breaking up Alphabet, following a judge’s ruling that the tech giant unlawfully monopolised the online search market, as reported by Bloomberg News. The judge determined that Google violated antitrust laws by spending billions to create an illegal monopoly and establish itself as the world’s default search engine. This ruling marks a significant victory for federal authorities challenging the dominance of Big Tech.

Other measures under consideration include requiring Google to share data with competitors and implementing safeguards to prevent the company from gaining an unfair advantage in AI products, according to the report. One of the most discussed remedies among Justice Department attorneys is the divestment of the Android operating system. Officials are also considering a possible sale of Google’s search ad program, AdWords, and a potential divestment of the Chrome web browser.

In recent years, federal antitrust regulators have filed lawsuits against Meta Platforms, Amazon, and Apple, alleging that these companies illegally maintained monopolies. Microsoft previously settled with the DOJ in 2004 over claims that it forced its Internet Explorer browser on Windows users.