The U.S. Department of Justice recently reiterated its position in court documents to demand Google to sell its Chrome browser, a proposal originally proposed by the Biden administration and continued to advance during Trump's term. Although the Justice Department no longer requires Google to divest all AI investments, the demand for the divestment of Chrome remains firm. This move aims to break Google's monopoly position in the market and promote fair competition.
The Justice Department pointed out in the document that Google's illegal behavior has formed an economic behemoth, which has seriously affected the healthy development of the market. The documents were signed by acting antitrust Attorney General Omeed Assefi, while Trump's nominated antitrust chief is still awaiting confirmation. The Justice Department believes that ensuring Google won’t win under any circumstances is the key to restoring market balance.
The core proposal includes requiring Google to divest Chrome and ban it from making search-related payments with its distribution partners. In terms of artificial intelligence, the Ministry of Justice no longer mandates Google to divest its AI investment, but requires Google to notify in advance when making related investments in the future. Regarding the issue of Android's divestment, the Ministry of Justice decided to hand it over to the court to make a judgment based on market competition.
The proposal follows an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice and attorneys generals of 38 states. Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google's actions in maintaining online search monopoly are illegal. Google said it would appeal Mehta's ruling and proposed an alternative, saying it could address the judge's concerns by providing partners with more flexibility.
A Google spokesman said the Justice Department's extensive proposal goes far beyond the court's ruling and could harm U.S. consumers, the economy and national security. Judge Mehta plans to hear debates between Google and the Justice Department in April to further determine the future competitive landscape.
Key points: The US Department of Justice requires Google to sell its Chrome browser, aiming to crack down on Google's market monopoly; it no longer requires Google to divest all artificial intelligence investments, and only requires advance notice of future investments; the judge will listen to the debate between Google and the Department of Justice in April to further determine the future market competition landscape.