Proposed remedies to “prevent and restrain the maintenance of monopolies” could include contractual requirements and prohibitions; non-discriminatory product provisions; data and interoperability requirements; and structural requirements, according to the DOJ.

The Justice Department is also considering behavioral and structural remedies that would prevent Google from using products like Chrome, Play, and Android to give its search engine and search-related products an advantage over rivals or new entrants.

Additionally, the Justice Department proposes to limit or prohibit default agreements and “other revenue-sharing arrangements related to search and related products.”

This could include Google's placement deals on iPhones and Samsung devices, for which Google is paying billions of dollars a year. One solution is to allow users to choose between different search engines.

These measures would end “Google’s current control of distribution” and ensure “Google cannot control distribution in the future.”

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The US is considering measures to curb Google's monopoly on the Internet search market. Photo: seroundtable

Earlier in August, a US judge ruled that Google holds a monopoly in the search engine market.

The ruling stems from a 2020 government lawsuit that accused Google of maintaining a large market share by creating strong barriers to competitors, creating a feedback loop that perpetuates its dominance.

The court found that Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, which prohibits monopolistic conduct.

Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs, said the company plans to appeal and stressed that the court recognized the high quality of its search products.

The Justice Department also recommended that Google provide data in its search index and models, including AI-powered search features and ad ranking data, to competitors.

The Justice Department is also considering measures to “prohibit Google from using or retaining data that cannot be effectively shared with others due to privacy concerns.”

Judge Amit Mehta said he will try to rule on the remedies by August 2025. Google’s appeal could drag on for years.

Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's vice president of legal affairs, said that "breaking up Chrome or Android would be very damaging — not just to those products but to many others."

The most likely scenario, according to legal experts, is for a court to order Google to break some of its exclusive agreements, like the one with Apple. A breakup of Google seems less likely.

In the second quarter of this year, the "Google Search & Other" segment brought in $48.5 billion, accounting for 57% of Alphabet's total revenue. The company holds 90% of the Internet search market share.

(According to CNBC)