Google, the ubiquitous search engine giant, has been ruled a monopolist by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta. The decision comes after a nearly year-long trial pitting the U.S. Justice Department against Google.
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board reviews the decision in the Google search #antitrust case, saying it shows “a very strange monopolist—one that does better by consumers because its search engine is superior.”https://t.co/JOnJBcrngI
— Computer & Communications Industry Association (@ccianet) August 8, 2024
Mehta’s 277-page ruling states that Google’s dominance in the search market, with an 89.2% share that increases to 94.9% on mobile devices, is evidence of its monopoly.
Google lost its search antitrust case and was declared to be "a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly" due to paying billions to Apple to be the default search engine on its devices. Read more: https://t.co/swCKkkUdth
via TechCrunch
— D.C. Bar (@DC_Bar) August 10, 2024
The judge focused on the billions of dollars Google spends annually to install its search engine as the default option on new cellphones and tech gadgets. Google argued that consumers have historically changed search engines when dissatisfied with the results. However, Mehta noted that Microsoft’s Bing search engine has an 80% share of the search market on the Microsoft Edge browser, showing that other search engines can succeed if Google is not the predetermined default.
“The logic seems to be, ‘Well, if you were already dominant, wouldn’t Apple have made you the main search engine no matter what?’"
Professor Deven Desai in "Court ruling that Google is a monopoly could impact how you search" by the @ajc https://t.co/JmNgfKrP6l
— Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business (@GATechScheller) August 9, 2024
The ruling sets the stage for another legal phase to determine what changes or penalties should be imposed to restore competition.
Google ruled a monopolist
Potential outcomes could include requiring Google to dismantle parts of its internet empire or preventing it from paying to ensure its search engine automatically answers queries on various devices.
Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, said the company intends to appeal the findings.
Great piece from @FascinatingTech on the role of Chrome in Google's monopolistic practices.https://t.co/SJTM8JEIwl
— Robin Berjon | 🦋 robin.berjon.com (@robinberjon) August 9, 2024
Attorney General Merrick Garland called the decision a historic win for the American people, emphasizing that no company is above the law. The Consumer Choice Center, a lobbying group, criticized the decision, saying the United States is drifting toward the anti-tech posture of the European Union.
Emarketer senior analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf noted that the remedy will determine the significance of Google’s loss, but a lengthy appeals process will delay any immediate effects for consumers and advertisers. If there is a significant shakeup, it could benefit Microsoft, which faced its own antitrust lawsuit in the late 1990s. The ruling marks the federal government’s first antitrust victory against a Big Tech giant in 25 years.
