- A bipartisan coalition of 38 AGs and the DOJ has submitted a revised proposed final judgment in their antitrust lawsuit against Google, following a U.S. District Court ruling that Google violated the Sherman Act by maintaining a monopoly in general search services and text advertising through exclusive distribution agreements with major tech companies.
- The revised judgment largely mirrors the AGs’ and DOJ’s November 2024 proposal and would bar Google from paying to be the default search engine on devices and browsers, require it to divest its Chrome browser, and potentially require the divestiture of Android if other remedies fail or if Google does not comply. It would also prevent Google from using its dominant position in new technologies by requiring preliminary government review of its future financial interests in online search and AI competitors.
- Additional remedies include a ban on all search-related payments to distribution partners, such as Apple and Android partners, as well as requirements that Google share targeted portions of its search index, user data, and ads data with competitors for a limited period. The revised judgment refines the data-sharing requirements to address privacy concerns and shifts from requiring Google to divest AI-related investments to a prior-notification system for future acquisitions.
- A hearing on the proposed remedies is scheduled to begin on April 21, 2025, and conclude by May 9.