FTC backs DOJ to break Google's search monopoly

India Today

11-05-2025

In 1998, Google started as a web search engine, and now, it has positioned itself in several areas. After 27 years, apart from Search, Google is offering services like Google Ads and Google Chrome. The company also provides Android OS, Gemini and Pixel smartphones. While it is for sure a success tale, it has also been seen as a monopoly, which does not let other small businesses grow. In a recent antitrust trial against Google, the US DOJ declared Google a Search monopoly and stated that a break-up may solve the issue. After a few days of this statement, the US FTC supports the decision by the DOJ. advertisementFTC supports DOJ decision to break Google For the past three weeks, Google has been embroiled in a remedies trial stemming from its loss in the landmark antitrust case over its dominance in the search market. As proceedings neared their conclusion, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publicly backed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its proposed set of remedies intended to dismantle Google's monopoly and foster greater competition in online search.According to Reuters, the FTC believes that enhancing market competition would compel Google to strengthen its privacy safeguards. One of the more contentious proposals involves data-sharing measures, which Google claims would compromise its intellectual property and jeopardise user privacy.
The FTC has also endorsed the idea of establishing an oversight body to ensure compliance—modelled after the mechanisms used in the agency's own privacy-related settlements.DOJ remedies to help the cause advertisementThe US Justice Department is calling for sweeping and ambitious measures to disrupt what it describes as a deep-rooted cycle of monopoly. After declaring it a monopoly, the authorities suggested Google to sell its Chrome browser. The department argues that Chrome, which commands over 4 billion users worldwide, acts as a 'gateway to search' and accounts for 35 per cent of all user queries. Forcing its divestiture, officials believe, could significantly reshape how people access the internet.In addition, the government is seeking to prohibit Google from entering into default search engine agreements—such as the reported $20 billion annual deal with Apple. These arrangements, it claims, create an uneven playing field that effectively blocks competitors from gaining a foothold in the market.Another key remedy being floated is for Google to grant rivals access to its enormous search dataset, including its index and results. The idea is to give other companies the tools to develop competitive search services. However, Google has likened this to handing over the firm's 'crown jewels', warning that it poses serious risks, including potential exposure of users' private information.Google has pushed back hard, branding the proposed remedies as 'extreme' and 'fundamentally flawed.' It maintains that its success stems from 'hard work, innovation, and smart business decisions,' including early investment in mobile search, and argues that penalising the company for its achievements would send the wrong message.The tech giant's legal representatives further contend that banning default search deals and enforcing data-sharing would in fact damage competition. They argue that it would enable rivals to benefit from Google's investments without similar effort, ultimately discouraging innovation. As for Chrome, Google insists it is not a viable standalone product and only functions effectively as part of its integrated ecosystem.