On Tuesday, the United States government signaled that it may push for an unprecedented antitrust remedy against Alphabet’s Google by forcing the company to divest significant parts of its business. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is arguing that Google has used its Chrome browser and Android operating system to maintain an illegal monopoly over the online search market. As the world’s fourth-largest company, with a market capitalization exceeding $2 trillion, Google now faces mounting legal challenges that could radically reshape not only its business but also the broader tech industry. By November 20, the DOJ is expected to file a more detailed proposal regarding these potential divestitures, while Google will have until December 20 to propose its own remedies.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington represents a major victory for antitrust enforcers, marking a pivotal moment in the battle against Big Tech’s influence. The case against Google, however, is just one in a series of legal battles targeting tech giants like Meta Platforms, Amazon, and Apple, all of which stand accused of using illegal methods to maintain their dominant positions in the market. These cases could bring about fundamental changes in how these companies operate, transforming the competitive landscape of the tech industry.
The heart of the U.S. government’s case against Google lies in the company’s dominance of the online search market. Google controls over 90% of global search traffic, giving it immense influence over the digital economy. This dominance is reinforced through its other products and services, particularly the Chrome web browser and the Android operating system. Chrome holds a market share of over 65%, while Android powers more than 70% of the world’s mobile devices. The DOJ contends that Google has used its control over these products to stifle competition and maintain its monopoly in online search, effectively limiting consumer choice and discouraging innovation from competitors.
One of the key allegations is that Google has used its market power to force manufacturers and developers to adopt its services. For instance, many Android phone makers are required to pre-install Google Search and other proprietary Google apps in order to gain access to the Google Play Store, a critical marketplace for mobile applications. This practice, according to the DOJ, creates an unfair advantage for Google’s services while preventing other search engines and apps from gaining a foothold in the market.
Another controversial tactic is Google’s lucrative agreements with device manufacturers, wireless carriers, and web browsers to ensure that Google Search is set as the default search engine. These arrangements, according to the government, have solidified Google’s search dominance, as most users stick with the default options on their devices.
Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is an enormous business empire, with revenue streams spanning various sectors of the digital economy. In 2023, Alphabet generated nearly $283 billion in revenue, with the vast majority—about 80%—coming from its advertising business. Google’s search engine, alongside YouTube and other advertising platforms, fuels this massive revenue stream by collecting and monetizing user data to deliver highly targeted ads. This advertising model, built on the backbone of Google Search, is at the center of the government’s antitrust case.
Google’s control over search and digital advertising is further bolstered by its Chrome browser and Android operating system. Chrome, with its integration of Google’s services like Search, Gmail, and YouTube, ensures that users remain within the Google ecosystem. This integration provides Google with a continuous flow of user data, which it uses to refine its advertising algorithms and offer advertisers a highly effective platform for reaching their target audiences. Android, with its dominance in the mobile operating system market, also serves as a crucial component of this ecosystem. By controlling Android, Google can dictate which services and apps gain prominence on the majority of the world’s smartphones, ensuring that its products remain deeply embedded in the mobile experience.
Google’s dominance extends beyond search and advertising. The company is also a leader in cloud computing through its Google Cloud division, which competes with Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. While cloud computing makes up a smaller portion of Alphabet’s revenue—approximately $32 billion in 2023—it is a fast-growing segment with enormous potential for future growth.
In addition to its core businesses, Alphabet has diversified into other areas of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), self-driving cars (through its subsidiary Waymo), and healthcare technology. These ventures represent Google’s ambition to remain at the forefront of technological innovation, but they also contribute to concerns about the company’s growing influence across multiple sectors.
If the DOJ succeeds in forcing Alphabet to divest key parts of its business, it would not be the first time that a major company has faced such an antitrust remedy. However, breaking up a company as large and complex as Google would be a monumental task. Some historical examples of forced divestitures in the tech sector include the breakup of AT&T in the 1980s, which led to the creation of multiple smaller companies. A similar scenario for Google could result in the separation of Chrome and Android from its core search and advertising businesses.
While Google has not yet divested any major businesses in response to legal pressure, it has undergone significant changes in its structure in recent years. In 2015, Google reorganized under the Alphabet umbrella, allowing its various business units—including YouTube, Google Cloud, and its experimental ventures like Waymo—to operate more independently. This restructuring has been seen by some as a preemptive move to prepare for potential antitrust actions, as it would make it easier for the company to divest certain units without entirely dismantling the organization.
The forced separation of Chrome or Android would have a profound impact on both the company and the broader tech landscape. For Google, divesting these businesses would likely result in a loss of control over critical components of its ecosystem, which could reduce its ability to collect and monetize user data effectively. For consumers, a breakup could lead to increased competition in the browser and mobile operating system markets, potentially providing more choice and fostering innovation.
The antitrust case against Google is part of a broader effort by the U.S. government to rein in the power of Big Tech. In recent years, companies like Meta (formerly Facebook), Amazon, and Apple have also come under legal scrutiny for alleged monopolistic practices. The government’s lawsuits against these tech giants center around similar issues—namely, the use of dominant platforms to stifle competition and entrench market power.
Meta, for example, is facing allegations that it has used its control over Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to maintain a social media monopoly, while Amazon is being investigated for anti-competitive practices in its e-commerce business. Apple, meanwhile, is under scrutiny for its App Store policies, which critics argue unfairly restrict competition from third-party developers.
The outcome of these antitrust cases could have far-reaching consequences, not only for the companies involved but for the entire technology sector. If the government succeeds in breaking up or regulating these companies more tightly, it could lead to a more competitive market, with new entrants gaining the opportunity to challenge the dominance of established players.
As Google prepares to present its own remedies by December 20, it remains to be seen how the company will respond to the DOJ’s allegations. Google has consistently denied that it operates as a monopoly, arguing that consumers have numerous alternatives to its services and that its dominance in search and advertising is the result of offering superior products.
However, the stakes are high for both Google and the broader tech industry. If the government succeeds in forcing a breakup of Google’s business, it could set a precedent for future antitrust actions against other Big Tech companies. For now, all eyes are on the upcoming court filings and the potential for a historic ruling that could reshape the future of the digital economy.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Coverpage’s editorial stance.