The U.S. government and a majority of states on Tuesday filed an appeal in a landmark antitrust case against Alphabet’s Google, according to court documents, reports Reuters.
In 2024, a federal court in Washington ruled that Google holds a monopoly in online search but rejected the most severe remedies proposed by regulators.
The Department of Justice and state attorneys general did not specify the exact grounds for the appeal. Analysts expect the challenge to focus on the court’s decision not to require Google to sell its Chrome browser or end its arrangement with Apple, which designates Google as the default search engine on new devices.
Google is already appealing U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta’s ruling that the company unlawfully stifled competition in online search and advertising. The company has requested a pause on an order that would force it to share data with rivals during the appeal, which could take months.
Judge Mehta had rejected tougher measures, including forcing Google to sell Chrome or Android, or banning payments to Apple worth tens of billions of dollars to remain the default search engine.
He noted that, since the DOJ and states filed the case five years ago, generative AI companies such as OpenAI have emerged as competitive threats to Google.
The ruling was seen as a partial victory for Google and a setback for U.S. antitrust regulators, highlighting courts’ reluctance to impose aggressive remedies in fast-evolving tech markets.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
