Federal Government Is Allegedly Compelling Google to Offload Chrome Web Browser
In a significant move, the US Justice Department is planning to confirm the Bloomberg newspaper's report and ask a federal judge to break up Google's Chrome browser and separate the Android operating system from its other products. This decision comes as part of ongoing US government legal actions seeking structural remedies.
The antitrust litigation against Google, which was initially filed by the Justice Department and several Republican-majority states in October 2020, has been aggressively pursued by the Biden administration. The lawsuit accused Google of monopolizing digital advertising technologies.
The Justice Department has been mulling different strategies for breaking up Google, including asking a federal judge to force the sale of Chrome and Android. However, it's important to note that a recent US judge ruled against forcing the sale of these products.
Google is alleged to have neutralized or eliminated ad tech competitors through acquisitions and wielded its dominance across digital advertising markets, forcing more publishers and advertisers to use its products. The platform's browser, Chrome, is used by some 3.4 billion people worldwide.
The crackdown on Google's digital advertising practices began during the first Trump administration. Google is reported to have paid approximately $26 billion to Apple and other platforms in exchange for keeping its search engine as the default digital search platform in their products.
In addition to the Justice Department, the litigation against Google also involves several Republican-majority states. The Justice Department plans to ask a federal judge to force Google to sell its widely used browser, Chrome, and may recommend that Google uncouple its Android smartphone operating system from its other products, including search and the Google Play mobile app store.
The ongoing legal proceedings against Google are not expected to be significantly affected by the incoming Trump administration. Google's parent company, Alphabet, may be forced to sell Chrome, which integrates with Google's search engine.
In August, a federal judge ruled that Google had broken U.S. antitrust laws and constituted an illegal monopoly. The Justice Department is considering recommending that the Android smartphone operating system, sold as a bundle with search and the Google Play mobile app store, be uncoupled.
This development marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to regulate tech giants and promote competition in the digital marketplace. The outcome of these legal proceedings will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the tech industry and consumers alike.
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