Judge’s Google antitrust ruling singes but doesn’t burn search giant

After a five-year legal battle that originated during the waning weeks of President Donald Trump‘s first administration, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta recently ruled that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in search. Yet, Mehta said he would not force the divestiture of the search giant’s Chrome browser or Android operating system.

Instead, the court banned exclusive agreements that prioritized Google’s search engine and required Google to share a limited search index and user‑interaction data with competitors.

Mehta’s ruling steered clear of sweeping structural interventions.

“Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divestiture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints,” Mehta wrote.

Emphasizing the rapid evolution of the industry, particularly from generative artificial intelligence, Mehta noted, “There are strong reasons not to jolt

Continue reading