US Regulators Given More Time to Propose Penalties for Google’s Dominance in Search
A federal judge has directed US antitrust regulators to submit potential penalty recommendations for Google’s long-standing monopoly in search by December, ramping up the pressure on authorities to take action against the tech giant’s anti-competitive practices.
Judge Amit Mehta, who previously ruled Google as a “ruthless monopolist” for leveraging its dominance to suppress competition, hopes to hold a penalty trial in the spring and reach a decision by next Labor Day. Mirroring a similar case against Microsoft in the late 90s, this timeline aims to resolve the high-stakes case against Google in a timely manner.
However, the Justice Department is yet to specify what punitive actions they will suggest. Key measures under consideration include curbing Google’s lucrative search deals with major partners like Apple and Samsung that make it the preset option on many devices. Worth billions annually, these arrangements bolster Google’s search traffic significantly.
As a last resort to enforce more meaningful changes, authorities may push for structural separation and divestment of portions of Google like the Chrome browser or Android mobile operating system, which also aid its search business considerably.
At the recent hearing, Google attorneys pleaded for reasonable punishments instead of drastic steps seen as “political grandstanding”. Meanwhile, DOJ lawyers argued for room to thoroughly evaluate modern aspects around Google’s use of artificial intelligence in search before locking in a proposal.
Both sides will submit a schedule to the court by September 13th to ensure regulators’ recommendations are ready before year-end as directed by the judge, keeping the case on its fast-tracked trajectory for conclusion in 2025.
