US Department of Justice confirms request for sale of Chrome

The US Department of Justice published a 23-page document proposing the division of Google, confirming recent news. The document includes the sale of the Chrome web browser and restrictions on the Android operating system. The ministry argued that this move would end Google’s control over critical search access points on the internet and allow rival search engines to meet users more fairly.

The document states that Google should stop prioritizing its own search engine on Android devices. If this is not implemented, the Department of Justice is demanding that Google divest its mobile operating system as well. It is also suggested that Google serve search results separately and sell click and query data to rival search engines and artificial intelligence startups.

In its statement on its blog “Keyword”, Google described this proposal of the Department of Justice as a step that “will harm consumers and affect the US’s leadership in technology”. “This radically interventionist approach by the DOJ will harm Americans and the United States’ global leadership,” said Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs and General Counsel. Walker noted that the proposal goes well beyond the court decision and could affect many of Google’s products, even beyond Search.

This legal process against Google started in 2020, when the Ministry of Justice and many states filed a lawsuit against Google. The lawsuit alleged that the company paid billions of dollars to device manufacturers to use its search engine by default. In August, Federal Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google has a monopoly in the industry and uses that power to overprice generic search text ads. As of last year, Google controlled nearly 90 percent of the global search engine market and processed nearly 9 billion queries daily.

Could the US Department of Justice choose a different approach during the Trump era?

Although the Justice Department’s proposals to split Google are shaped in line with this decision, the administration’s approach may vary greatly depending on political changes. For example, Google’s statements point to concerns about the new presidential term. Google argues that government intervention could lead to security breaches and information-sharing obligations to foreign companies.

On the other hand, both former and current US President Donald Trump also commented on this issue, stating that a division could be an extreme solution. “Instead of dividing, you can find other solutions to make it more fair,” Trump said.