US authorities may break up Google over monopoly concerns
The US authorities are considering filing a request to break up Google. Local media reports that this may be related to illegal monopolistic activities in the search engine sector.
According to a release by the Polish Press Agency, citing "The New York Times" and Bloomberg, American authorities are contemplating filing a request to break up Google due to alleged monopolistic practices in the search engine sector. One potential solution is to force the company to sell its Android operating system or the Chrome web browser.
Bloomberg reports that dividing the tech giant is one of the possible steps—and the most radical—to limit Google's dominance. Other options include forcing the company to share data with competitors and introducing mechanisms to prevent gaining an unfair advantage in artificial intelligence.
The federal prosecutor also intends to request a ban on exclusive agreements that Google has made with companies such as Apple to ensure its search engine is the default option for users.
Such agreements were one of the reasons why a federal court in Washington, D.C., in a landmark ruling, found Google guilty of illegally exploiting and maintaining its monopolistic position in the search engine and online advertising markets. The court ruled, among other things, that this behavior harms consumers and stifles innovation.
Penalty for Google's monopoly?
The court still has to decide on the penalty and remedies. The US Department of Justice, which, along with many state attorneys, filed the lawsuit against Google, has until September 4 to present its proposed solutions. The hearing will take place on September 6.
"The New York Times" reports that one of the options considered by the federal prosecutor is to force Google to sell the part of the company responsible for the Android operating system or the Chrome browser. Such a scenario would not be the first of its kind in the history of antitrust proceedings.
Microsoft defended itself
In the last case of such a large scale—against Microsoft 20 years ago—the court initially ordered the company to sell part of its empire. However, this verdict was later reversed by an appeals court. Despite this, "NYT" notes that the ruling had long-term effects, reducing the corporation's dominance and allowing the development of competitive companies such as Google.
