Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
DOJ Wants to Break Up Google’s Search Monopoly
Competition | Nov 21, 2024
Image: Freepik/ijeab
US Regulators Ask Judge to Force Google to Sell Chrome
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is going toe to toe with one of the biggest tech behemoths in the world. In August 2024, a US court found Google guilty of running an illegal search monopoly where Google uses its dominance to unfairly bundle products like Chrome and Android to its search engine, making it very hard for competitors to grow. The DOJ is now proposing to the judge to force Google to sell its Chrome browser business to level the playing field in search and online advertising.
See: Competition Act Amendments and What It Means for Fintech
DOJ in a court filing:
“Google’s unlawful behavior has deprived rivals not only of critical distribution channels but also distribution partners who could otherwise enable entry into these markets by competitors in new and innovative ways.”
What's the DOJ Going After?
- Google may have to sell Chrome. Without owning the browser, Google would lose one of its main channels to push traffic (people) to its search engine.
- No more exclusive deals. Google would have to stop paying companies like Apple who in return for payment makes Google Search the default option on their devices. Google paid $20 billion in 2022.
- Share search data (say what?). Yes,Google might have to give competitors such as Yahoo, Bing or DuckDuckGo its search data which would significantly help them improve their search game and compete more fairly.
What Could This Mean for You?
If Google is forced to sell Chrome, it may change how you browse the web (assuming you even use Chrome in the first place). Maybe Chrome's new owners would choose to focus on privacy or add some features that change the experience. For sure it would mean losing seamless integrations between Chrome and Google services. And if Google isn't allowed to monopolize deals with Apple then you may see other search engine solutions become easier to use such as AI search (wink wink).
See: Reddit-Google $60M/year AI Content Deal Ahead of IPO
At the end of the day, this is about whether one company should have so much power over how we interact with the internet. By breaking monopolies up, it will loosen their grip and create new opportunities for startups to enter the market. This means more choice for users and a boon for innovation in industries like fintech, AI, ad digital payments.
What's Next?
The court hearings begin in April 2025. If the DOJ wins then Google may be forced to make changes before the end of the year. If this happens, it could be the most significant antitrust outcomes in decades. Stay tuned because these changes will ripple far beyond Google and surely change how we all experience the future of the web.
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