Judge: Google Can Retain Chrome

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has issued a ruling in a landmark antitrust case against Google, following a 2024 decision that Google illegally monopolized the online search market. 

The ruling rejected the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposal to force Google to divest its Chrome browser or Android operating system, which were seen as key components of Google’s dominance in search and advertising. 

Instead, Mehta ordered Google to share certain search index and user interaction data (excluding ads data) with competitors on “ordinary commercial terms” to foster competition. 

Additionally, Google is barred from entering exclusive contracts that make its search engine, Chrome, Google Assistant, or Gemini app the default on devices, though it can still pay for non-exclusive default placements, such as its $20 billion annual deal with Apple.

The decision was influenced by the rise of generative AI technologies, which Mehta noted have reshaped the competitive landscape, prompting a more restrained approach to remedies. Google expressed concerns about user privacy due to the data-sharing requirement and indicated it is reviewing the decision, while the DOJ viewed the ruling as a step toward opening the search market and preventing Google’s tactics from extending to AI. 

Alphabet’s shares rose 6-8% in after-hours trading, reflecting investor relief at avoiding harsher penalties. The remedies are set for a six-year term, with both parties required to submit a revised final judgment by September 10, 2025. Google plans to appeal, and a separate antitrust case regarding its online advertising technology is pending.