US Government, Most States Appeals Google Search Antitrust Ruling

The United States government and a majority of US states have filed an appeal against a landmark antitrust ruling in the case against Alphabet-owned Google, according to court documents.

In 2024, a federal judge in Washington ruled that Google had an illegal monopoly in the online search market but stopped short of imposing the toughest remedies sought by regulators.

The appeal by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and state attorneys general is expected to focus on the judge’s decision not to order Google to sell its Chrome browser or end its lucrative agreement with Apple, under which Google pays billions of dollars to remain the default search engine on Apple devices.

Court filings did not provide detailed grounds for the appeal, but the challenge is likely to contest the scope of the remedies imposed by US District Judge Amit Mehta.

Google has separately appealed Mehta’s ruling that the company violated antitrust law to block competition in online search and related advertising markets. The company has also asked the court to pause an order requiring it to share certain data with rivals while the appeal is pending, a process that could take several months.

Judge Mehta rejected proposals that would have forced Google to divest its Chrome browser or Android operating system, or barred it from making large payments to secure default search placement.

In his ruling, the judge noted that generative artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI, have emerged as new competitive threats since the DOJ and dozens of states first filed the civil case five years ago.

The decision was seen as a significant victory for Google and a setback for US antitrust enforcers, highlighting the reluctance of courts to impose sweeping remedies in fast-evolving technology markets.

For any enquiries or information, contact ask@tlr.ae or call us on +971 52 644 3004. Follow The Law Reporters on WhatsApp Channels.