Will Google Be Split? "US DOJ Requests Forced Sale of Google Chrome"

The Android Forced Sale Plan Is Not Included

The U.S. Department of Justice has decided to request the court to force the world's largest search engine company, Google, to divest its web browser, Chrome. Analysts interpret this move as the DOJ's effort to dismantle Google's overwhelming dominance in the search market.

Bloomberg News, citing sources on the 18th (local time), reported that the DOJ plans to demand the divestiture of Chrome as an antitrust remedy from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which ruled in August that Google illegally monopolized the search market. At that time, Judge Amit Mehta of the D.C. District Court ruled that Google was a "monopoly company that illegally abused its market dominance and restricted competition." Accordingly, the DOJ has been preparing measures to curb Google's monopoly in the search market, with Chrome divestiture emerging as one such option.

The DOJ holds the position that Chrome, the most widely used web browser worldwide, must be divested because it serves as a critical pathway to Google's search engine. Chrome's market share in the U.S. alone accounts for 61%. The DOJ's analysis is that this overwhelming market dominance prevents other companies from entering the search market. However, the "harsh option" of forcing Google to divest its smartphone operating system, Android, is reportedly not included this time.

The DOJ plans to request the court to order measures related to Google's artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the Android operating system, along with the forced divestiture of Chrome. Additionally, it will propose granting usage rights to competitors or other companies to access Google's search data.

Judge Mehta is expected to consider the DOJ's demands and prepare measures to dissolve Google's monopoly in the search market by August next year. Bloomberg analyzed that "the DOJ's proposal has the potential to reshape the online search market and the rapidly growing AI industry." Google plans to review its appeal strategy after the final ruling expected by August next year.

Foreign media report that the perspective of President-elect Donald Trump, who will enter the White House on January 20 next year, toward Google could significantly influence this case. Two months before the presidential election, former President Trump threatened to sue Google for bias against him, but a month later, he questioned whether breaking up Google was a good idea.