Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, in collaboration with a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice, has advanced a comprehensive set of legal remedies aimed at dismantling Google’s monopolistic control over internet search engines. This initiative seeks to revitalize market competition and enhance consumer options.
The legal battle commenced in December 2020 when Maryland, together with other states, filed a lawsuit accusing Google of employing anticompetitive contracts and behaviors to unlawfully sustain its dominance in the general search engine market. This state-led lawsuit complemented a federal antitrust lawsuit initiated by the Justice Department in October 2020.
In a significant judicial development in August 2024, a judge from the D.C. federal district court determined that Google had breached federal antitrust laws by maintaining an illegal monopoly in online search and search-advertising markets. The court is set to enforce corrective measures that aim to terminate these monopolistic practices and restore competitive conditions.
The proposed remedies, submitted to the court, include:
- Prohibiting Google from entering into exclusive payment arrangements that make it the default search engine on electronic devices and browsers.
- Mandating Google to provide competitors with access to data acquired through its monopolistic activities, ensuring consumer privacy and security.
- Requiring the divestiture of Google’s Chrome browser and, potentially, its Android operating system, should Google fail to adhere to certain conditions or if the initial remedies fall short.
- Barring the mandatory inclusion of Google Search or Google AI on Android devices and allowing publishers to opt out of data collection used to train Google’s AI.
Additionally, the states have proposed that Google fund a public awareness campaign to educate consumers about the illegal nature of its actions and the available alternatives in search engines.
The court has appointed a five-member technical committee to oversee the implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of these remedies over a decade. The hearing to finalize these measures is slated for April 22, 2025, through May 2, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the fight against monopolistic practices in the tech industry.
