Federal Judge Rules Google Violated Antitrust Laws, Declaring It a Search Monopoly

In a landmark ruling on August 5, 2024, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta declared Google a monopolist and found the tech giant guilty of violating antitrust laws in its online search and advertising practices. The decision, stemming from a 2020 lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, marks a significant victory for American regulators in their efforts to curb the power of Big Tech.Judge Mehta’s 277-page ruling focused on Google’s practice of paying billions of dollars annually to companies like Apple and Samsung to make Google the default search engine on their devices. In 2021 alone, these payments amounted to approximately $26.3 billion. The judge stated, “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,”.The court found that Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act through exclusive distribution agreements that effectively blocked competitors from succeeding in the market. These practices allowed Google to dominate approximately 90% of online searches and 95% of the smartphone search market.Google had argued that users chose its search engine due to its quality and that they were free to switch their default search engine. However, the judge determined that Google’s tactics went beyond fair competition, illegally cementing its dominance in the online search landscape.This ruling could potentially reshape how Google operates its search business and may influence other ongoing antitrust cases against tech giants such as Amazon, Meta, and Apple. The decision is likely to be appealed by Google, but if upheld, it could lead to significant changes in how search engines are distributed on devices and how other companies interact with Google.

Key points

• Federal Judge Amit P.

Mehta ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining a monopoly in online search.

• Google’s practice of paying billions to make its search engine the default on devices was deemed illegal.
• The ruling could significantly impact Google’s business model and influence other antitrust cases against tech giants.
• Google dominated approximately 90% of online searches and 95% of the smartphone search market.

Contradictions👾While most sources agree on the ruling’s content, there are slight variations in the reported figures.

For instance, some sources mention $26 billion in payments, while others specify $26.

3 billion.