Court ruling published by the U.S. Eastern District Court of Virginia

DOJ Seeks Google to Sell Chrome, Holding 70% Market Share, in Antitrust Push

Nov 25, 2024, 02:40 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is pushing for Google to sell its Chrome browser, which holds a 70% share of the browser market, in a bid to curb the tech giant's dominance in online search and advertising markets. In closing arguments presented on November 25 in the U.S. Eastern District Court of Virginia, DOJ prosecutors accused Google of being a 'three times' monopolist, illegally monopolizing the search market and online advertising technology. They argued that Google's practices have stifled competition and left advertisers and publishers with fewer choices. The antitrust trial, which began on September 9 and is presided over by Judge Leonie Brinkema, could result in Google being forced to divest its 16-year-old Chrome browser within six months of the final ruling. Such a move would have seismic implications for the internet giant and potentially reshape the browser landscape, marking one of the most significant antitrust actions since the AT&T case.