Google under Pressure: Antitrust Case Could Break Up Search Giant

The technology giant Google may soon learn what measures the U.S. Department of Justice deems necessary to break up the company's dominance in the online search market. Prosecutors are currently preparing a document to be submitted to the federal court, suggesting possible punitive measures after a landmark trial confirmed that Google operated as an illegal monopoly. District Judge Amit Mehta of Washington D.C., who sided with the Department of Justice, will decide how the proceedings will continue. A possible "remedial measure" could involve breaking up Google, making search engine data accessible to competitors, or terminating existing agreements that make Google the default search engine on mobile devices and browsers. Antitrust attorney Carl Hittinger notes that determining remedial measures may be more complicated than establishing liability. Google has already announced plans to appeal. If Google prevails in the appeal, Judge Mehta would lose his authority to enforce measures. Even if the appeal is lost, Mehta might still adjust his orders later to better promote competition. A breakup of Google's empire would be one of the most radical antitrust measures and could fundamentally reshape the technology market. This could include the divestiture of major business units such as Android, Chrome, or the AdWords platform, which would entail significant cuts to revenue streams associated with Google. However, discussions are far from reaching a consensus. Hittinger believes that such drastic measures are unlikely, as the judge must find solutions that serve the public interest. The situation remains intriguing, especially as Google faces other threats, such as new AI-powered search engines and competitors like Meta, who are attracting advertisers.