Feds consider rare push to break up Google for illegal monopolization

Federal officials are weighing whether to recommend a judge break up parts of Google after the search giant was found to have broken antitrust laws, reports indicate.

The US Department of Justice is reviewing the case and will submit its recommendations to Judge Amit Mehta in the coming weeks. Last week, Judge Mehta ruled that Google had a monopoly over the internet search business and had taken illegal steps to maintain their power, including by paying other companies to prioritize their engine.

These recommendations could include forcing Google to break parts of its company like its Chrome browser or Android system, The New York Times reports, citing unnamed officials familiar with the discussions.

Justice Department officials may also recommend Judge Mehta force Google to release its data to rival companies. The federal judge could also mandate Google end deals with tech companies like Apple that make its search engine the default on their devices, according to the Times.

Another option could include measures to prevent Google from gaining unfair advantages in artificial intelligence, Bloomberg News reports.

The Justice Department and Google must submit their process to end the power imbalance by September 4, Judge Mehta said. The next hearing is scheduled for September 6.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told the Times that no decisions have been made yet.

This marked the largest DOJ-led antitrust case against the tech industry since the famous Microsoft case two decades ago, according to The Verge.

Google’s attorneys argued it was so successful because of its attractive product offerings, rather than via monopoly tactics. They also said Google should be compared not just with fellow search engines,