US DOJ Seeks Google Breakup Over Search Monopoly

The U.S. Department of Justice and Google have begun a three-week court hearing to determine remedies after a judge found Google illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. The government is seeking sweeping penalties, including forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser, share valuable search data with competitors, and halt multibillion-dollar deals that make Google the default search engine on devices. The Justice Department also raised concerns about Google's recent agreements involving its Gemini AI app, suggesting these mirror previously deemed exclusionary contracts. As an alternative, the government proposed the possibility of forcing Google to divest its Android operating system if competition is not restored. Google argues these remedies would harm innovation and consumers, maintaining that its market position was fairly earned. The company's legal team has indicated plans to appeal any unfavorable ruling.