Google could be forced to sell off Chrome to level the search playing field

What you need to know

• The DOJ is pushing to make Google sell Chrome after a judge ruled its search monopoly illegal.
• U.S. lawyers reportedly want Google to sell off Chrome, separate Android from Google Search and Play, and change how it handles data licensing.
• Antitrust officials also want Google to share more data with advertisers and allow more control over ad placements, plus push for a ban on exclusive contracts.

Google's Chrome and Android dominance could be shattered by US legal action. Bloomberg reports that the Department of Justice wants to force the tech giant to sell off Chrome after presiding judge Amit Mehta ruled Google's search monopoly is illegal.

Back in August, Judge Mehta issued a landmark decision, ruling that Google broke Section 2 of the Sherman Act. This part of the law is in place to keep things fair and ban any shady moves to grab total control of a market.

After the ruling, speculation took off about what the DOJ might do next, with many thinking a Google breakup could be on the table.

A recent Bloomberg report says the DOJ plans to ask Judge Mehta to make Google sell off parts of its business, including the Chrome browser. U.S. lawyers are also pushing for rules on data licensing.

As the world's go-to web browser, Chrome has been a powerhouse for promoting Google’s ecosystem. But government lawyers claim it’s boxed out competition by shrinking options and stifling rival incentives.

Antitrust officials are reportedly looking to shake things up by splitting Android from Google Search and Play without forcing a sell-off. They’re also pushing for Google to share more data with advertisers and let them call more shots on ad placements.

Google poured a ton of time and cash into locking down exclusive deals with companies like Apple, keeping its spot as the top web browser on mobile and desktop. These deals made it tough for rivals like Microsoft’s Bing to grab a decent slice of the search market.

Google’s dominance has given a huge boost to its ad business and let the company harness search power in AI products like Gemini. On top of that, officials are planning to suggest that Google give websites more control over how their content is used in its AI products, as per the report.

Officials are also planning to propose a ban on exclusive contracts. On the search front, they’re suggesting either selling “click and query” data or allowing search results to be syndicated independently. At the moment, Google has pretty strict rules on syndicating results, especially on mobile.

If Judge Mehta gives the green light to the DOJ’s proposals, it could seriously change the way the internet, search, and even AI work.

Android Central reached out to Google for a comment and will update once we hear back. Meanwhile, Google’s VP of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, told Bloomberg that the DOJ's proposed fixes are "a radical agenda" that goes way beyond the legal issues at hand.

"The government putting its thumb on the scale in these ways would harm consumers, developers and American technological leadership at precisely the moment it is most needed," Mulholland said in a statement.