Key Takeaways
- Google’s monopoly on web searches has been ruled illegal, impacting fair competition in the market.
- The case, dating back to 2020, involved testimonies from tech giants like Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
- Alternative browsers to Chrome exist for users concerned about data privacy and competition issues.
Google is operating an illegal monopoly over the web search industry, according to a Monday ruling by judge Amit P. Mehta of the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The decision, reported by the New York Times, puts an end to a years-long case brought by the Department of Justice and state governments, accusing it of skewing the market through unfair practices. A particular focus was Google’s practice of paying companies like Apple, Mozilla, and Samsung to make its search tool the default in web browsers — making it tough for competitors like DuckDuckGo or Bing to gain traction.
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The case dates back to 2020, and peaked with a 10-week trial in 2023, including testimonies by Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Nadella complained that Google’s relationship with Apple is “oligopolistic,” and that Google could easily become dominant in the world of AI with Gemini, even though Microsoft has enjoyed a lead thanks to its partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI.
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