US DOJ Proposes Breakup of Google as Remedy in Monopoly Case – Bloomberg

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicated to a federal judge that it is contemplating a recommendation for Alphabet Inc’s Google to divest certain business units as a solution to its alleged monopolization of the online search market, according to a recent Bloomberg report.

Officials from the DOJ expressed this recommendation in a court filing. They also proposed that Judge Amit Mehta could compel the technology company to disclose the underlying data utilized to create its search engine and artificial intelligence products.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported on the DOJ’s potential plans to break up Google following Judge Mehta’s ruling that the company held an illegal monopoly in the online search and advertising arenas. The prior report suggested that Google might be required to divest its Android operating system and Chrome web browser as part of an antitrust resolution.

Additionally, Google could be pressured to cease its practice of paying substantial amounts to ensure its search engine remains the default on several popular devices, including iPhones.

Numerous smaller competitors of Google, such as Yelp, DuckDuckGo, and adMarketplace, have advocated for the sale of certain Google business units, as the company commands approximately 90% of all internet searches in the U.S.