DOJ pushes for Google to break off Chrome browser after antitrust case

The Department of Justice is calling for Google to divest its Chrome browser, pursuing a ruling successful August that the institution holds a monopoly successful the hunt market.

Chrome, which Google launched successful 2008, provides the hunt elephantine with information it past uses for targeting ads. The DOJ said successful a filing connected Wednesday that forcing the institution to get escaped of Chrome would make a much adjacent playing tract for hunt competitors.

"To remedy these harms, the [Initial Proposed Final Judgment] requires Google to divest Chrome, which volition permanently halt Google's power of this captious hunt entree constituent and let rival hunt engines the quality to entree the browser that for galore users is simply a gateway to the internet," the 23-page filing reads.

Search advertizing accounted for $49.4 cardinal successful gross successful parent institution Alphabet's 3rd quarter, representing three-quarters of full advertisement income successful the period.

The DOJ's petition represents the agency's astir assertive effort to interruption up a tech institution since its antitrust case against Microsoft, which reached a colony successful 2001.

In August, a national judge ruled that Google holds a monopoly successful the hunt market. The ruling came aft the authorities successful 2020 filed its landmark case, alleging that Google controlled the wide hunt marketplace by creating beardown barriers to introduction and a feedback loop that sustained its dominance. The tribunal recovered that Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, which outlaws monopolies.

Last month, the DOJ indicated it was considering a breakup of Google businesses, including perchance breaking up its Chrome, Play oregon Android divisions. 

Additionally, the DOJ suggested limiting oregon prohibiting default agreements and "other revenue-sharing arrangements related to hunt and search-related products." That would see Google's hunt arrangements with Apple connected the iPhone and Samsung connected its mobiles devices, deals that outgo the company billions of dollars a twelvemonth successful payouts.

Google has said it volition entreaty the monopoly ruling, which would gully retired immoderate last remedy decisions.

However, the astir apt outcome, according to immoderate ineligible experts, is that the tribunal volition inquire Google to bash distant with definite exclusive agreements, similar its woody with Apple. While a breakup is an improbable outcome, the experts said, the tribunal whitethorn inquire Google to marque it easier for users to entree different hunt engines.

WATCH: What DOJ's absorption connected Google means for the tech company