A federal judge ruled that Google would not have to strip its Chrome browser, but would have to change some of its business practices. The same judge ruled that Google has been in more than a year Illegal action Maintain monopoly in Internet search.
After the ruling last year, the Ministry of Justice has Suggested Google should be forced to sell Chrome. but 230 pages decisionJudge Amit Mehta said the government has “beyond” according to its demands. “Google will not be asked to divest Chrome; nor will the court include contingent divestment of Android operating systems in the final judgment,” Mehta wrote. “The plaintiff overvalued it in a search for forced divestment of these key assets, and Google has not used it to implement any illegal restrictions.”
However, Google will no longer be allowed to reach exclusive deals around the distribution of search, Google Assistant, Gemini or Chrome. For example, Google cannot require device manufacturers to preload their apps in order to access the Play Store. It also cannot adjust revenue sharing arrangements on the placement of its apps. But Google will be able to continue to pay partners, such as Apple, to preload searches and other apps into its products. Meta said ending these arrangements could cause “downstream harm to distribution partners, related markets and consumers.”
Mehta also ruled that Google will need to share some of its search data with future competitors. “Providing data to competitors will narrow the size gap created by Google’s exclusive issuance agreements and then narrow the subsequent quality gap,” he wrote. The company does not need to hand over data related to advertising.
Mehta’s ruling was largely a victory for the search giant, who once believed that the divestiture of Chrome or Android “will damage Americans and the United States’ global technological leadership.” Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has previously stated that it plans to appealbut in June it will await court’s comments.
