Official court rulings and DOJ announcements

DOJ Weighs Breaking Up Alphabet's Google, Including Chrome and Android

Oct 9, 2024, 08:30 AM

Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, is facing the possibility of a forced breakup as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) considers remedies in its ongoing antitrust case against the tech giant. Following Judge Amit Mehta's ruling in August that found Google maintained an unlawful monopoly in the online search market, the DOJ has proposed several measures, including making Google share search data with competitors and imposing limits on its revenue-sharing and default agreements. The remedies could involve the divestiture of key operations, such as the Android operating system and the Chrome browser. Google's exclusivity deals with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and browsers are under scrutiny, with the DOJ pushing beyond that focus to address broader concerns. A decision from Judge Mehta is expected by August 2025. If enforced, these actions would represent a historic antitrust breakup of one of the world's largest technology companies.