Federal Judge to Decide Remedies for Google’s Search Monopoly by August 2025
A federal judge announced on Friday his intention to impose a remedy for Google’s dominance in the internet search market by August 2025. This decision marks the beginning of a crucial phase in an antitrust case that has the potential to significantly alter the operations of the tech titan and influence competition across the internet landscape.
During a hearing focused on establishing a timeline for determining appropriate remedies, Judge Amit P. Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia requested that the Justice Department and the involved states submit a proposal by the end of the year. Following that submission, a new trial will be held to evaluate the evidence regarding the next steps, which is anticipated to take place in March or April.
Judge Mehta emphasized the importance of considering the rapidly evolving technology environment, particularly the emerging competition posed by artificial intelligence (A.I.) chatbots developed by companies such as OpenAI and Microsoft. He remarked, “The world has changed since discovery closed two years ago,” noting that both Google and Microsoft have integrated A.I. into their search functionalities, with OpenAI’s chatbot being utilized for search purposes.
In a landmark ruling last month, Judge Mehta deemed Google a monopolist in the realm of internet search, highlighting that the company had secured and fortified its commanding share—over 90 percent—of the search market through exclusive agreements with major corporations, including Apple, which ensured Google was the default search engine over its competitors.
The forthcoming decision regarding how to address Google’s monopolistic practices could potentially create a significant precedent for other federal antitrust actions against tech giants such as Amazon, Apple, and Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram). In recent years, regulators have filed lawsuits against these companies, alleging that their practices have stifled competition and negatively impacted public discourse, commerce, and entertainment.
The proposed remedies for Google’s monopolistic behavior may include:
- Restrictions on agreements that designate Google’s search engine as the default on various mobile devices.
- Possible divestiture of certain business units, including separating the search engine from its other ventures, such as the Chrome browser and Android operating system.
The Department of Justice is currently considering a request for a breakup of Google as part of its strategy moving forward. Judge Mehta’s deliberation on the remedies will involve a period dedicated to investigating potential penalties and conducting hearings.
In his previous ruling, Judge Mehta underscored the significant impact of Google’s extensive financial arrangements that established its search engine as the default option on Apple’s Safari browser and other software platforms, which has adversely affected competitors like Microsoft’s Bing.
During the hearing, Justice Department attorney David Dahlquist articulated that the landscape has shifted since the completion of evidence gathering for the trial two years ago. The government aims to include several third-party witnesses as they formulate their proposal for remedies. He stated, “The trial was, of course, focused on the past, what Google has done for the past decade to monopolize those markets.” Now, he added, it is essential to gather evidence related to the future and explore ways to open these markets for fair competition.
In response, Google’s lead attorney expressed intentions to summon witnesses from OpenAI and Microsoft to contribute to the ongoing discussions about the future of search engine competition.
