On November 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced plans to compel Google to divest its Chrome browser in an effort to address ongoing antitrust issues. This proposal comes after a federal judge ruled in August that Google maintained an illegal monopoly in the search engine market.
The DOJ intends to present this request to Judge Amit Mehta, who previously ruled against Google’s monopolistic practices. Officials argue that Google’s dominance in the search market must be curtailed to foster competition.
In addition to Chrome, the DOJ is also exploring measures to separate Google's Android operating system from its other services, such as Google Search and Google Play. These changes aim to prevent the company from leveraging its various platforms to suppress competition.
Google has strongly opposed these proposals, claiming that divesting key components like Chrome and Android would harm consumers and developers. The company’s regulatory affairs vice president, Lee-Anne Mulholland, criticized the DOJ's approach as excessively radical.
The potential breakup of Chrome raises questions about future ownership, with speculation suggesting that companies like OpenAI could benefit from acquiring the browser. However, concerns remain about the impact on American market leadership and the possibility of foreign competitors gaining an advantage.