U.S. Court Ruling Allows Google to Retain Chrome Browser
(MENAFN) A federal court in Washington, DC ruled Tuesday against the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) push to force Google to divest its Chrome browser amid an ongoing antitrust battle. The decision marks a significant setback for regulators seeking to curb Google’s dominance in digital markets.
“Google will not be required to divest Chrome; nor will the court include a contingent divestiture of the Android operating system in the final judgment,” the court stated. “Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divesture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints.”
The ruling also cleared Google from being compelled to halt payments to distribution partners for pre-installing its apps on devices, though the judge prohibited exclusive deals that guarantee Google products as the default choice on those devices. Additionally, the court mandated that Google share certain search index and user interaction data with qualified competitors to foster market competition.
Following the announcement, shares of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, surged 7.6% in after-hours trading.
The case originated in January 2023, when the DOJ, joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia, filed an antitrust lawsuit in the Eastern District of Virginia. The lawsuit accused Google of monopolizing multiple digital advertising technology markets by deploying “anti-competitive, exclusionary and illegal methods” to eliminate or marginalize competition.
The DOJ’s complaint highlighted Google’s strategy over the last 15 years, which involved acquiring rivals and leveraging its dominance in digital ads to compel publishers and advertisers to favor Google’s platforms, effectively sidelining competitors. The department alleged this approach cemented Google’s grip on the industry.
The DOJ had formally proposed forcing Google to divest Chrome in November 2024 as part of its broader antitrust efforts. However, the latest court ruling refutes this demand, reshaping the future course of the case.
“Google will not be required to divest Chrome; nor will the court include a contingent divestiture of the Android operating system in the final judgment,” the court stated. “Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divesture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints.”
The ruling also cleared Google from being compelled to halt payments to distribution partners for pre-installing its apps on devices, though the judge prohibited exclusive deals that guarantee Google products as the default choice on those devices. Additionally, the court mandated that Google share certain search index and user interaction data with qualified competitors to foster market competition.
Following the announcement, shares of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, surged 7.6% in after-hours trading.
The case originated in January 2023, when the DOJ, joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia, filed an antitrust lawsuit in the Eastern District of Virginia. The lawsuit accused Google of monopolizing multiple digital advertising technology markets by deploying “anti-competitive, exclusionary and illegal methods” to eliminate or marginalize competition.
The DOJ’s complaint highlighted Google’s strategy over the last 15 years, which involved acquiring rivals and leveraging its dominance in digital ads to compel publishers and advertisers to favor Google’s platforms, effectively sidelining competitors. The department alleged this approach cemented Google’s grip on the industry.
The DOJ had formally proposed forcing Google to divest Chrome in November 2024 as part of its broader antitrust efforts. However, the latest court ruling refutes this demand, reshaping the future course of the case.
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