In August 2024, Google lost a major antitrust lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), with Judge Amit Mehta declaring the company a monopolist that has acted to maintain its dominance.
A key point in the case was Google’s $20 billion annual payment to Apple to remain the default search engine. As part of its proposed remedies, the DOJ is pushing Google to sell its Chrome browser, which holds nearly 90% of the global market share, exceeding that figure on mobile devices.
A revised filing by the DOJ states, “Google must divest the Chrome browser… to allow a new rival to operate a significant gateway to internet searches.” The DOJ argues that Google has stifled competition and denied consumers the freedom of choice in the marketplace.
In response, a Google spokesperson told The Verge that the DOJ’s demands go “miles beyond” the court’s ruling and would negatively impact consumers, the economy, and national security.
