The tech giant was branded a “ruthless monopolist.” Image: Times Now
US District Judge Amit Mehta has given the Justice Department until December to suggest sanctions for Google Following the company’s conviction for establishing an illegal monopoly in the search sector, the judge has called the tech giant Google a “ruthless monopolist” and the case will move to a new phase that will focus on sanctions against the company and ways to stop future infringements. A hearing on sanctions is scheduled for spring to be made before Labor Day 2025.
The Justice Department has not yet specified what sanctions it will seek. Still, potential actions could target Google’s deals with major tech companies, such as Apple and Samsung, that make Google’s search engine the default on many devices. Google currently pays more than $25 billion annually for these deals, a significant portion of which goes to Apple. In a more extreme scenario, the department could require Google to divest parts of its business, such as its Chrome browser or Android operating system, that drive traffic to its search engine.
During a recent hearing, Justice Department lawyers asked for more time to craft a detailed proposal that would consider Google’s use of artificial intelligence in its search operations. Google’s legal team expects more moderate penalties and warns against what they see as extreme, politically motivated measures.
Both sides have been asked to submit a proposed timeline by Sept. 13, and the Justice Department is expected to have its sanctions recommendations ready by the end of 2024. The case also draws comparisons to the antitrust trial Microsoft faced in the late 1990s.
This is what will happen with Google:
- The US Department of Justice (DOJ) will present a proposal in December outlining solutions to Google’s illegal monopoly of the search market.
- Justice Department attorney David Dahlquist emphasized broad measures, especially considering Google’s integration of artificial intelligence and the rebranding of Bard as Gemini.
- Possible actions include forcing Google to spin off business units such as its Android operating system or stopping payments to smartphone makers for search engine defaults.
- The Justice Department has expressed concerns about inaccuracies and cultural insensitivity found in Google’s artificial intelligence tools, particularly Gemini.
- A final decision on sanctions is expected to be made by Labor Day 2025.
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