A US judge has ruled in favor of Google, rejecting the government’s demand to sell its Chrome web browser as part of a major antitrust case. The decision came after Judge Amit Mehta found in August 2024 that Google had illegally maintained monopolies in online search through exclusive distribution agreements worth billions of dollars annually. Despite this finding, Judge Mehta declined to order Google to divest its Chrome browser, citing that such a move would be “incredibly messy and highly risky”.
Instead, the judge imposed sweeping requirements to restore competition in online search. Google will be required to make its search index data and user interaction information available to qualified competitors, allowing them to improve their services. The ruling also extends restrictions to prevent Google from using exclusive deals to dominate the emerging field of generative artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT. This move aims to promote competition and innovation in the rapidly evolving AI space.
The Department of Justice called the remedies “significant,” and a technical committee will oversee the implementation of the ruling, which takes effect 60 days after the final judgment is entered. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, saw its shares jump 7.5% in after-hours trading following the decision, while Apple’s stock rose by more than 3% .
This landmark ruling is part of a broader government and bipartisan offensive against Big Tech, with the US currently pursuing five pending antitrust cases against major technology companies. Google faces another legal challenge in Virginia regarding its web display advertising technology business, which a separate judge has already ruled constitutes an illegal monopoly that stifles competition.
