A decision from U.S. Judge Amit Mehta on remedies for Google’s search monopoly is imminent, with the U.S. Department of Justice pushing for structural changes that could include divesting Android and restricting exclusive deals. The ruling could alter the digital advertising and AI landscape worldwide including in India, where Google’s dominance has already faced regulatory scrutiny.
Background: Years of Antitrust Battles Culminate in High-Stakes Decision
After declaring Google a “monopolist” in a 2024 ruling, Judge Amit Mehta is now set to decide how to rein in the tech giant’s dominance over the open-web search and advertising markets. The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and several states have accused Google of illegally cementing its market position through multi-billion-dollar agreements with Apple, Samsung, and other device makers to make Google Search the default on browsers and smartphones.
The DoJ’s remedy proposals are sweeping. They include forcing Google to divest Android to break its control over mobile search defaults, banning exclusive content agreements with publishers, and requiring government approval for any acquisition of current or potential search competitors. Notably, the DoJ is also seeking restrictions on how Google can use its search index to gain an upper hand in artificial intelligence a market rapidly emerging as the next tech battleground.
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Google Pushes Back, Warns of ‘Government Overreach’
Google has strongly opposed the proposals, calling them “staggering” and a threat to innovation. Kent Walker, Alphabet’s Chief Legal Officer, warned in a 2024 blog post that the DoJ’s plan would harm consumers, developers, and small businesses, while undermining U.S. technological leadership. The company argues that the rise of AI challengers like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and DeepSeek proves a competitive ecosystem already exists.
Google’s counterproposals include allowing smartphone makers greater flexibility to preload multiple search engines, rather than only Chrome. Its lawyers have also raised privacy concerns, claiming that transferring control of Chrome’s billions of user accounts to another company could compromise data security.
The DoJ has rejected these arguments, pointing to the massive payments estimated at $15–20 billion annually to Apple — as clear evidence of Google’s entrenched market control. It argues that real competition cannot emerge unless default search engine arrangements are fundamentally restructured.
Global Ripple Effects: Why India and Other Markets Are Watching Closely
While the case is focused on the U.S. market, its implications extend globally. In India, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) fined Google ₹1,337 crore in 2022 for forcing manufacturers to pre-install Google Mobile Suite on Android devices without allowing uninstall options. Following the ruling, Google allowed Indian users to choose their default search engine a move that echoes some of the remedies now being debated in the U.S.
If Judge Mehta endorses sweeping structural changes, regulators in India, Europe, and elsewhere may feel emboldened to push for similar reforms. This could disrupt not just search, but also digital advertising, AI development, and the business models of companies that depend on Google’s ecosystem.