‘Google is a monopolist, it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly’: US Judge Amit Mehta in landmark antitrust case
On Monday, a United States Judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by using billions of dollars to create an illegal monopoly & become the default search engine worldwide.
This landmark judgment is a major victory for the country’s federal authorities targeting Big Tech’s dominance. The ruling opens the door for a second trial to determine potential remedies, including a possible breakup of Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
Google is a monopolist, rules US court
Judge Amit Mehta found that Google controls about 90% of the online search market & 95% of the smartphone search market.
“The court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, & it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly,” US district judge Amit Mehta, Washington, DC, wrote.
The next phase could involve lengthy legal proceedings & appeals, potentially extending into 2026.
What Google said on the ruling?
Google plans to appeal, arguing that the decision unfairly targets its success.
“This decision recognizes that Google offers the best search engine, but concludes that we shouldn’t be allowed to make it easily available,” Google said in a statement.
Alphabet’s shares fell 4.5 per cent following the ruling, which comes amid broader market declines. Google advertising was 77 per cent of Alphabet’s total sales in 2023.
‘No company above the law’
US attorney general Merrick Garland hailed the ruling as a significant victory, saying that no company is above the law. The White House also welcomed the decision as a win for competition.
The case, initiated by the Donald Trump administration, marks the first major antitrust action against a major tech company in a generation. Similar lawsuits have been filed against Meta Platforms, Amazon, & Apple.
