US wants to force Google to sell Chrome browser in historic antitrust crackdown

The case marks the most aggressive move to rein in a tech company since efforts to break up Microsoft failed two decades ago

Reading Time:4 minutes

Published: 10:18am, 19 Nov 2024

Top US Justice Department antitrust officials have decided to ask a judge to force Alphabet’s Google to sell off its Chrome browser in what would be a historic crackdown on one of the biggest tech companies in the world.

The department will ask the judge, who ruled in August that Google illegally monopolised the search market, to require measures related to artificial intelligence (AI) and its Android smartphone operating system, according to people familiar with the plans.

Antitrust officials, along with states that have joined the case, also plan to recommend Wednesday that federal judge Amit Mehta impose data licensing requirements, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing a confidential matter.

If Mehta accepts the proposals, they have the potential to reshape the online search market and the burgeoning AI industry. The case was filed under the first Trump administration and continued under President Joe Biden. It marks the most aggressive effort to rein in a technology company since Washington unsuccessfully sought to break up Microsoft two decades ago.

Google Chrome is the world’s most popular web browser. Photo: Shutterstock

Owning the world’s most popular web browser is key for Google’s ads business. The company is able to see activity from signed-in users, and use that data to more effectively target promotions, which generate the bulk of its revenue. Google has also been using Chrome to direct users to its flagship AI product, Gemini, which has the potential to evolve from an answer-bot to an assistant that follows users around the web.