Google Calls DOJ Antitrust Remedy Proposal A Threat To Privacy, An Attack On US Tech Leadership

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Google has strongly criticized a proposal filed by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of an ongoing antitrust lawsuit regarding the company's search distribution agreements. The tech giant claims the proposal demands drastic changes that could disrupt its services, harm consumers, and weaken the US's global technology leadership.

“The DOJ had a chance to propose remedies related to the issue in this case: search distribution agreements with Apple, Mozilla, smartphone OEMs, and wireless carriers,” Google said in a blog post.“Instead, DOJ chose to push a radical interventionist agenda that would harm Americans and America's global technology leadership.”

Google warns of broader impacts

Google alleges the DOJ's proposals extend far beyond the scope of the lawsuit, impacting products and services unrelated to search distribution agreements. The company highlighted several consequences it sees as damaging:

Security and privacy risks: Google argues the proposal would compromise the security and privacy of millions of Americans by potentially forcing the sale of Chrome and Android.

Exposure of personal data: It warns that sensitive user data, including personal search queries, could be disclosed to“unknown foreign and domestic companies.”

Hindrance to AI development: Google claims the measures would stifle its investments in artificial intelligence, an area where it is a global leader.

Threats to partnerships: The company said the proposal could harm services like Mozilla's Firefox, which rely on Google's payments for search placement.

Specific example: Pixel phone choice screens

Google highlighted what it described as the impracticality of the DOJ's demands, pointing to a requirement for two separate choice screens on Google Pixel phones before users could access Search.“The design of those choice screens would have to be approved by the Technical Committee. And that's just a small part of it. We wish we were making this up,” the company stated.

MENAFN23112024007365015876ID1108918220