A judge ruled on Tuesday that Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O), Google must share search data with competitors but rejected prosecutors’ bid to make the internet giant sell off its popular Chrome browser and Android operating system.
Here is what has happened so far in the case and what comes next:
The Justice Department during President Donald Trump’s first administration sues Google alleging that it illegally monopolized the online search and related advertising markets. This was the first time in a generation that the U.S. government accused a Big Tech corporation of an illegal monopoly. Prosecutors continue pursuing the case under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Google defends its practices at a trial before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, saying it had won its market share by providing a high-quality service.
The trial’s evidence phase concludes, after Google CEO Sundar Pichai took the stand and acknowledged the importance of making its search engine the default on phones and other devices.
Mehta hears closing arguments in the case, pressing Google on how rival search engines could compete, and whether online advertisers would substitute social media or other ads for search advertising.
The judge finds Google violated U.S. antitrust law, saying that “Google has no true competitor.”
Prosecutors propose a sweeping set of remedies they said would work in tandem to open up competition in the markets for online search and related advertising. The 10-year reformation plan includes requiring Google to sell off its Chrome browser, cease paying device makers like Apple to make it the default search engine on new devices, share data with rivals, and end its investments in artificial intelligence companies.
Google proposes a much narrower remedy that would loosen its agreements with Apple and others, calling the government’s proposal a drastic attempt to intervene in the search market.
The Justice Department, once again led by Trump appointees, backs most of the November proposals but drops a bid to make Google sell off AI investments.
Mehta kicks off a 14-day trial on the proposals where prosecutors say Google needs strong measures imposed on it to prevent its online search dominance from extending to AI. At trial, OpenAI says that proposed data-sharing remedies could help it improve ChatGPT, Google executive Sundar Pichai says data sharing would let competitors copy Google’s product, and Google’s stock takes a hit after an Apple executive testifies that the iPhone maker plans to add AI-driven search options to its Safari browser.
After a break for both sides to file court papers, Mehta holds closing arguments in the case where he suggests he is considering less aggressive measures than the 10-year regime proposed by antitrust enforcers, citing the rapid pace of developments in the AI sector.
Google says it has hired Donald Verrilli Jr., the U.S. solicitor general during the Barack Obama administration, to handle its appeal in the case.
Source : https://www.reuters.com/technology/what-comes-next-googles-antitrust-case-over-search-2025-09-02/
