In one of the most significant antitrust rulings against Big Tech since Microsoft’s legal battle in the 1990s, a federal judge has restricted Google’s ability to lock down search dominance — but stopped short of forcing a breakup of its core products.
On Tuesday, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google’s search empire is a monopoly, ordering the company to end exclusive contracts that make Google Search the default across browsers, smartphones, and voice assistants.
The decision follows last year’s landmark finding that Google violated US antitrust law by maintaining its monopoly power in online search. But Mehta rejected the Justice Department’s request for more aggressive remedies, including the forced sale of Chrome or Google’s Android operating system.
Key Points From the Ruling
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No breakup of Chrome or Android: Mehta said requiring divestiture would be “incredibly messy” and not justified by the evidence. Chrome, he noted, relies heavily on Google’s infrastructure and cannot run as a standalone business.
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Exclusive search contracts banned: Google can no longer strike deals with Apple, Mozilla, Samsung, or others that make Google Search the exclusive default option. However, non-exclusive default agreements are still allowed.
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Data sharing required: Google must share parts of its search index and user-interaction data with certain rivals to help restore competition — though less than the DOJ originally demanded.
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Remedies last six years: The restrictions will remain in place unless overturned on appeal, a process that could drag on for years. Google has already signaled plans to appeal.
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AI front and center: The ruling also acknowledged the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, which could reshape the search market and complicate future enforcement.
Why Google’s Victory Was Partial
Forcing Google to sell Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser, had been one of the DOJ’s biggest asks. But Mehta rejected the idea, emphasizing that Google’s contracts, not its ownership of Chrome, were the real drivers of monopoly power.
“Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divestiture of these key assets,” Mehta wrote.
Shares of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, surged more than 6% in after-hours trading following the ruling, a sign that Wall Street viewed the decision as less severe than feared.
Industry Reaction and What’s Next
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Rivals circling Chrome: Before the ruling, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Perplexity AI had expressed interest in buying Chrome if divestiture were forced. Perplexity even floated a $34.5 billion offer. Those possibilities are now off the table.
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Justice Department setback: While the DOJ secured meaningful restrictions, critics say the ruling leaves Google’s dominance largely intact. A government lawyer had argued Google’s multibillion-dollar payments to partners must be “eliminated” to truly level the playing field.
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More antitrust battles ahead: Google still faces a separate case in Virginia over its dominance in digital advertising technology. That remedies hearing is scheduled for September.
Why It Matters
This is the biggest monopoly ruling against a US tech giant in decades. By blocking exclusive deals, the court hopes to give rival search engines and AI-powered platforms a fighting chance.
But by allowing Google to keep Chrome and Android, the ruling stops short of dismantling the company’s structural power — ensuring that the battle over Google’s dominance is far from over.
