DOJ considers remedies against Google after monopoly ruling

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Justice may ask a federal judge to impose remedies on Google, including structural changes, after its search engine was declared an illegal monopoly, according to a court filing on Tuesday.

This filing marks the initial step in the government’s effort to reshape a company that has long dominated the online search market. It is the first indication of potential remedies the DOJ might pursue.

The proposed solutions could include barring Google from using artificial intelligence to mine other websites for content and preventing the company from paying firms like Apple and Samsung to secure its status as the default search engine on their devices.

In August, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google had illegally exploited its dominance to stifle competition. He and antitrust officials believe Google has controlled key distribution channels for over a decade, leaving competitors with little incentive to challenge its dominance.

“Fully remedying these harms requires not only ending Google’s control of distribution today but also ensuring Google cannot control the distribution of tomorrow,” the DOJ wrote in its filing.

Google plans to appeal Mehta’s ruling but must wait for the judge to finalize the remedies, a process that could take years. The Justice Department will revise its plan in the coming weeks, with a more detailed proposal expected next month. Google is set to submit its proposal in December, with prosecutors making a final submission by March 2025.

The case primarily focuses on Google’s business agreements to maintain market control. In 2021, the company spent over $26 billion on agreements that ensured its position as the primary search provider.

The DOJ’s lawyers referred to these distribution deals as “the starting point for addressing Google’s unlawful conduct.” They are also considering structural changes to prevent Google from leveraging its products, such as the Chrome browser, Android operating system, and its AI and app store platforms, to maintain its market dominance.

Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, defended the company’s investments in Chrome and Android.

“Breaking them off would change their business models, raise the cost of devices and undermine Android and Google Play in their robust competition with Apple’s iPhone and App Store,” Mulholland said in a statement.

Another proposed remedy would allow companies to opt out of having their data used in Google’s AI-driven search responses, addressing concerns that the technology poses a new barrier to competition.

This week, additional rulings targeted Google. On Monday, a federal judge ordered Google to open its Android app store to competition. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Virginia examined whether Google held an illegal monopoly in online advertising.

Internationally, Google faces pressure from European Union antitrust enforcers, who have suggested that breaking up the company may be necessary to ensure competition in the digital ad market.

DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg, a rival to Google, wrote last month that limiting Google’s exclusive deals could help level the playing field, according to an article by NPR.

“Google likes to claim everyone chooses Google,” Weinberg said in a blog post. “But more consumers don’t: They just go with the default.”

This story is ongoing, with updates to follow as Judge Mehta’s proposed timeline progresses.

Gavin Rollman is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email gmr5526@psu.edu.