RT-Engels: 10-10-2024,
The DOJ is considering enforcing “structural remedies” against the tech giant’s monopoly
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that it may recommend dismantling Google’s de facto monopoly by separating its search business from its Android operating system, Chrome web browser, and Google Play app store.
According to a court filing on Tuesday, Google may face both “behavioral and structural remedies” to prevent the company from abusing its ecosystem for unfair competitive advantage. The DOJ argues that the tech giant’s behavior has already caused “interlocking and pernicious harms” to users and that restoring competition in the search engine market is essential.
”Google’s unlawful behavior has enabled it to accumulate and use data at the expense of rivals,” the DOJ stated. “As a result, plaintiffs are considering remedies that would prohibit Google from using or retaining data that cannot be effectively shared with others due to privacy concerns,” it added, arguing that “genuine privacy concerns” must be distinguished from “pretextual arguments” meant to sustain its dominant position.
This move follows a federal judge’s ruling in August that Google violated US antitrust laws. “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Judge Amit Mehta said, noting that the company paid billions of dollars to device manufacturers to secure its position as the default search engine on smartphones and browsers.