DOJ “extreme” recommendations include Google selling off Chrome and Android

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has laid out its demands for Google following a ruling that found the search giant guilty of maintaining an illegal monopoly in online search and advertising. In a move that could drastically reshape the tech landscape, the DOJ is pushing for Google to sell off its Chrome web browser and has even left the door open for a potential Android sell as well.

This bombshell proposal, filed in a DC District Court, comes after Judge Amit Mehta ruled against Google earlier this year. The DOJ’s filing outlines a range of remedies aimed at restoring competition, including some that could significantly dismantle parts of Google’s empire.

Chrome on the chopping block

The DOJ is adamant that Google must part ways with its Chrome browser, which it sees as a critical gateway to accessing online search. By controlling the dominant browser, the argument goes, Google reinforces its search monopoly and stifles competition. This isn’t the first time the DOJ has targeted Chrome; it was a key point of contention in the initial outline of remedies presented earlier this year.

While the DOJ isn’t explicitly demanding an immediate Android selloff, it’s certainly keeping that option on the table. This potential threat serves as a powerful incentive for Google to comply with the other proposed remedies. The DOJ argues that if those measures prove ineffective in restoring competition, or if Google resists adhering to them, a forced Android divestiture could become a reality.

A multi-pronged attack on Google’s practices

Beyond the headline-grabbing divestiture demands, the DOJ is seeking a wide array of restrictions on Google’s behavior. These include:

• No More Default Deals: Google would be prohibited from offering financial incentives or other benefits to third parties, like Apple and phone manufacturers, to make Google Search the default or to discourage them from featuring rival search engines.
• Leveling the Playing Field: Google would be mandated to provide competitors with access to its search index at a reasonable cost, ensuring a fairer playing field for alternative search engines.
• Data Sharing: Google would be required to share its search results, ranking signals, and US-originated query data for 10 years, enabling the development and growth of competing search services.
• Empowering Websites: Google would have to allow websites to opt out of its AI-powered overviews without facing any penalties in search rankings, giving website owners more control over their content.

Google responds

Unsurprisingly, Google isn’t taking this lying down. In a strongly worded blog post, Alphabet’s Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker slammed the DOJ’s proposal as “extreme” and “wildly overboard.” Google claims the proposed remedies would:

• Compromise user security and privacy.
• Harm the quality of Google products.
• Stifle innovation in artificial intelligence.
• Negatively impact businesses like Mozilla’s Firefox.
• Hinder user access to Google Search.
• Lead to excessive government control over online experiences.

This is all far from over. Google will file its own proposals next month, followed by another DOJ filing in March. A court hearing is scheduled for April, with a final ruling expected before September 2025. Adding another layer of complexity, the DOJ will be under new leadership by then, which could influence the final outcome.

The final ruling could have profound implications for the future of the internet, impacting everything from how we search for information to the very structure of the web itself, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on how it all shakes out. Again, this won’t change anything in the near-term, but as we’re seeing with rumors of Google consolidating Android and ChromeOS, there are wheels in motion and there’s no way we can know what the end result will look like.