The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is turning up the heat on Google, urging a federal judge to break up the tech giant’s grip on online search before its dominance spreads further through artificial intelligence.
During a hearing on Monday, the DOJ told District Judge Amit Mehta that Google should be forced to spin off its Chrome browser, arguing that without intervention, the company could dominate not just search—but the future of the internet itself.
“Nothing less than the future of the internet is at stake here,” warned Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater, emphasizing that AI could make Google’s monopoly even more dangerous.
Google’s Dominance Under Fire
Last year, Judge Mehta ruled that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. The hearing this week is focused on deciding the remedies, and the DOJ is calling for bold action—including the breakup of Chrome and possibly even Android, Google’s mobile operating system.
The DOJ says Google’s exclusive deals with companies like Apple and Samsung to pre-install its search tools have given it unfair control over the digital world.
Google Pushes Back Hard
In response, Google argues the DOJ has overreached.
“The DOJ’s wildly overbroad proposal goes miles beyond the Court’s decision,” said Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs, in a blog post.
He criticized the DOJ’s recommendations as a “radical interventionist agenda” that could damage American tech leadership and hurt users.
Ad Tech Monopoly Also Challenged
The attack on Google’s power comes just days after another court ruling found that Google also held an illegal monopoly in the digital advertising market. That case, led by the federal government and over a dozen US states, accused Google of locking in control over:
- Publisher ad servers
- Ad exchanges
- Advertiser tools
Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with much of the case, saying Google used anticompetitive tactics to stay on top and blocked rivals by removing helpful features and pushing harsh policies.
Billions at Stake
Google’s massive ad revenue funds free services like Search, Gmail, and Maps, and fuels its aggressive push into AI. With back-to-back legal challenges, Google could face forced restructuring, which might reshape the digital landscape for years to come.
The company is appealing both rulings
