The Department of Justice (DOJ) has made a court filing in which it demanded that Google divest Chrome and potentially even Android to end its anti-competitive practices. The court filing also includes several other steps that would prevent Google from continuing its monopoly practices.
Here"s a quick summary of the filing:
- Google cannot sign any contracts that would prevent other search engines from effectively competing against it.
- Google cannot pay billions to Apple to remain the default search engine provider on Apple"s devices.
- Google cannot sign any exclusive agreements with content publishers related to search.
- Google cannot make any acquisitions in the general search services or search text ads markets without prior approval from the government.
- Google may elect to divest Android. If it chooses not to, it should stop using Android to maintain its search and ad monopoly businesses. If Google"s measures are not working, the court may force Google to divest.
- Google should divest Chrome and should not reenter the browser market for five years. It should not acquire or make any investment or interest in any search or search text ad rival, search distributor, or rival query-based AI product or ads technology.
- Google cannot use its other products and services, including Android, YouTube, and Gemini, to promote its search products. For example, Google cannot ask Android OEMs to place the Google Search widget on the home page of every Android device.
- Google should make its search index available at marginal cost, on an ongoing basis, to rivals and potential rivals. Google should also share ranking signals and query understanding information.
- Google should provide rivals and potential rivals with both user-side and ad data for a period of ten years, at no cost, on a non-discriminatory basis.
- Google should provide publishers, websites, and content creators with data crawling rights, allowing them to opt out of Google"s AI and search index.
- Google should provide advertisers with the ability to export search text ad data and information for keywords on which the advertiser bids.
The DOJ"s proposed actions aim to level the playing field in the search and advertising markets. If implemented, these changes could significantly impact Google"s business model. Google can respond to this report in court by December 20th. Court hearings on this matter will be held in Spring 2025, and we can expect a final decision in the summer. Google can also appeal the court"s decision.