US will move to break up Google - Bloomberg

The Justice Department will reportedly seek a forced sale of the Chrome internet browser, according to the outlet

The US Department of Justice will ask a judge to force Google to sell off its Chrome internet browser, Bloomberg has reported, citing sources. The step would be a historic crackdown against one of the world's biggest and most controversial tech companies, the outlet said. 

In August, District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that the US tech giant illegally monopolized the online search market by paying companies such as Apple and Samsung to make its search engine the default on their devices.

Chrome is the world's most popular web browser, holding a 65% share of the global market, almost four times that of its nearest competitor, Safari. Owning it is key for Google's ads business, Bloomberg noted, as it allows the tech giant to control how people view the internet and what ads they see.

The Justice Department will also reportedly ask the judge to require measures related to artificial intelligence and to impose data licensing requirements, people familiar with the plans told the outlet.

If accepted, the proposals have the potential to reshape the online search market and the burgeoning AI industry, Bloomberg reported.

The government "continues to push a radical agenda that goes far beyond the legal issues in this case," Google's vice president of regulatory affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, said in a statement quoted by multiple media outlets.

The Justice Department filed the civil antitrust suit against Google for monopolizing search and search advertising in 2020, under the administration of Donald Trump.

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In September, Trump said that if re-elected as president, he would seek the prosecution of Google, claiming that the company only displays "bad stories" about him.  

In October, however, Trump voiced skepticism about a potential breakup of the company, suggesting that it could be made "more fair" instead.   

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A hearing on remedy proposals has been set for April. A final ruling is expected by August 2025.