Alphabet’s Google has secured a partial victory in the Justice Department’s antitrust case, with a federal judge ruling that the company will not be forced to sell its Chrome web browser. However, the court has ordered Google to share some of its search data with competitors. This decision follows Judge Amit Mehta’s previous finding that Google illegally monopolised the markets for online search and search advertisements. Google is a multinational technology company focused on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, and hardware. Alphabet is the parent company of Google.
Judge Mehta’s ruling prevents Google from entering into exclusive contracts for internet search. In April, Mehta held a three-week hearing to determine remedies after the initial finding of illegal monopolisation. The judge also decided against barring Google from making payments to third parties, including Apple, for default browser placement on devices. He argued that cutting off these payments would likely impose substantial harm to distribution partners, related markets, and consumers.
The order marks one of the most significant court decisions affecting the tech sector in over 25 years. It could provide a framework for other judges handling similar cases against Meta, Amazon, and Apple. Shares of Alphabet experienced a surge, climbing as much as 8.7 per cent in extended trading following the release of the judge’s ruling. Apple shares also saw a rise, increasing by as much as 4.3 per cent.
The ruling addresses the Justice Department’s concerns about Google’s dominance in the search market while avoiding measures that the judge deemed potentially damaging to the broader ecosystem. The decision represents a complex outcome with both wins and losses for the tech giant.
