The US Department of Justice is demanding that Google sell its Chrome browser as part of an antitrust lawsuit. This is reported by Bloomberg.
In August 2024, a US court recognized the company as a monopolist. Since then, antitrust regulators have been deciding what measures should be taken to eliminate the company's anticompetitive practices.
The Ministry plans to go to court to force Google to sell Chrome, which is the most popular web browser in the world. Chrome's integration with Google Search and other Google products was cited as one of the factors limiting competition in search.
Regulators also want Google to separate the Android operating system from other products, such as Google Search and the Google Play Store, which are usually installed on Android devices by default. Initially, it was planned that Google might be obliged to sell Android, but this requirement was later canceled.
The Ministry of Justice proposes to oblige Google to provide data licenses and allow free merging of search results in Google Search. This will give competitors and artificial intelligence startups the opportunity to improve their algorithms and create their own search indexes. Google may also be forced to share additional data with advertisers, giving them more control over where their ads are placed.
Google will no longer be able to enter into exclusive deals like the one with Apple, which secured Google's status as the default search engine in Safari for $20 billion in 2022.
Google is appealing the antitrust decision, and the judge in charge of the case plans to hold a two-week hearing in April 2025 to discuss what changes the company plans to make. The final decision is expected in August 2025.