Google’s monopoly of online searches is illegal, US judge rules
A US judge has ruled Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly on online searches and related advertising.
Google was sued by the Department of Justice in 2020 for its control of about 90% of the online search market.
US District Judge Amit Mehta noted that Google paid billions to ensure it is the default search engine on smartphones and browsers.
The decision on Monday could reshape how technology giants do business.
“Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” Judge Mehta wrote in his 277-page opinion.
The decision is a significant victory for federal antitrust regulators who have filed other pending lawsuits against Big Tech companies, accusing them of operating unlawful monopolies.
Federal regulators have sued Meta Platforms, which operate Facebook and Whatsapp, Amazon.com and Apple Inc.
Credit: BBC