America's Justice Department Still Wants Google to Sell Chrome - Slashdot
Mar 09, 2025 - tech.slashdot.org
Last week, Google urged the U.S. government not to break up the company, but the effort was unsuccessful. The U.S. Justice Department has reiterated its proposal that Google be required to sell its Chrome web browser, following a federal judge's ruling in August that found the company guilty of maintaining an illegal monopoly. The government also proposed banning Google from paying other companies to prioritize its search engine on their apps and phones. However, it dropped the demand for Google to divest its stakes in AI start-ups, after Anthropic AI argued that it needed Google's investment to remain competitive.
The Justice Department's final proposal emphasizes that Google must divest the Chrome browser to allow a new competitor to provide an independent gateway to internet search, free from Google's control. Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia will decide on the final remedies in April. A Google spokesperson criticized the Justice Department's proposals as excessive, arguing that they would harm American consumers, the economy, and national security.
Key takeaways:
The U.S. Justice Department has proposed that Google be forced to sell its Chrome web browser to address monopoly concerns.
The government also proposed banning Google from paying for preferential placement of its search engine on apps and phones.
The demand for Google to sell its stakes in AI start-ups was dropped after Anthropic AI argued it needed Google's investment.
Google argues that the Justice Department's proposals exceed the court's decision and could harm consumers, the economy, and national security.
