Considering a Breakup: The US Department of Justice Targets Google

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed in a court hearing that it is considering a breakup of Google. This measure would be one of several possible counteractions to address the monopoly position of Google's parent company, Alphabet, in the area of internet search. A ten-page document primarily focused on restrictions to Google's business practices, which the government could present to District Judge Amit Mehta as a final proposed solution by November 20. Judge Mehta had already determined in August that Google secured its dominant position by paying smartphone manufacturers and web browser developers to use Google as the default search engine. This practice was recognized as a key factor in Google's monopoly-like dominance in search.