up the search engine in their tries to reshape the technology field.
Even more so, the Department of Justice also known as the DOJ, reported that this decision can include “structural requirements” which have the meaning of protecting the customers from Google’s search engine “monopoly”.
However, as a response, Google warned the government that those possible changes might affect consumers and businesses from the US.
The possible decision from the DoJ comes after the court's landmark August ruling that found Google guilty of illegal practices to maintain its market dominance. The DoJ also said that it is considering “remedies that would prevent Google from using products such as Chrome, Play, and Android to advantage Google search and Google search-related products”.
In a blog post, Lee-Anne Mulholland, the Vice President of Google’s regulatory affairs said, “We believe that today’s blueprint goes well beyond the legal scope of the Court’s decision about Search distribution contracts. Government overreach in a fast-moving industry may have negative unintended consequences for American innovation and America’s consumers. “
In the blog post, Lee-Anne also explains why breaking Google’s search engine can affect more businesses and customers than imagined. “Chrome is a secure, fast, and free browser and its open-source code provides the backbone for numerous competing browsers. Android is a secure, innovative, and free open-source operating system that has enabled vast choice in the smartphone market, helping to keep the cost of phones low for billions of people.” she goes further and talks about how Chrome and Android both help millions of people have secure access to the web and their products.
It is also mentioned that few companies have the ability to keep their products open source and invest in their development as Alphabet does. Breaking the search engine leads to massive changes in their business models, higher costs, and many other negative outcomes. More details regarding the proposal made by the DoJ are expected to be heard by 20 November. And, a response from Google is expected to be heard by 20 December.
The decision from August came after a 10-week trial, in which Google was accused by the prosecutors of paying millions of dollars yearly to firms including Apple and Samsung in order to keep Alphabet’s product as their default search engine.
Google’s lawyers argued that users are drawn to their product because they find it useful and that the investments that Google makes are in order to keep creating better products for their consumers.
All of those lawsuits are part of the US’s plan to create a market for stronger competition in the industry.
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