In a landmark decision, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google’s search engine constitutes an illegal monopoly, citing its overwhelming market dominance as a barrier to competition and innovation.
The ruling, delivered on Aug. 5, 2024, followed a year-long legal battle between the tech giant and the U.S. Department of Justice, marking the most significant antitrust case in the United States in 25 years.
The court’s 277-page decision concludes that Google, with an 89.2% share of the general search services market and a 94.9% share on mobile devices, has acted to maintain its monopoly status.
Judge Mehta noted that Google’s substantial market share is not merely a result of consumer preference but is also bolstered by the company’s extensive financial efforts to secure its position as the default search engine on new devices.
In 2021 alone, Google spent over $26 billion to cement these default agreements.
During the ten-week trial in 2023, evidence and testimonies from executives at Google, Microsoft, and Apple were presented, culminating in closing arguments in May 2024.
Despite Google’s defense that its search engine’s popularity is a result of its quality and consumer choice, the court found that Google’s actions limited the success of other search engines, such as Microsoft’s Bing, which holds an 80% market share on the Microsoft Edge browser.
Google’s President of Global Affairs, Kent Walker, expressed disappointment with the ruling, stating the company plans to appeal.
“This decision recognizes that Google offers the best search engine but concludes that we shouldn’t be allowed to make it easily available,” Walker said.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland hailed the decision as a significant triumph for antitrust enforcement, emphasizing that no company is above the law.
“This victory against Google is a historic win for the American people,” Garland remarked. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce our antitrust laws.”
While the ruling has the potential to reshape the internet search landscape, it does not specify the penalties or remedies Google will face for violating antitrust laws.
The decision opens the door to further legal proceedings and regulatory actions that could significantly impact the company’s operations and its dominant position in the search industry.
