A U.S. judge has ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by using billions of dollars to establish an illegal monopoly as the default search engine.
This decision represents a victory for federal authorities challenging Big Tech’s dominance.
The ruling sets the stage for a second trial to determine potential remedies, which could include breaking up Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
Judge Amit Mehta found that Google controls about 90% of the online search market and 95% on smartphones, maintaining its monopoly through hefty payments for default search engine agreements.
Alphabet’s shares fell 4.5% following the ruling, reflecting broader tech market declines. The company plans to appeal, arguing that the decision penalizes its successful product availability.
This ruling marks a major step in a series of antitrust cases against Big Tech, reflecting bipartisan support for increased scrutiny of large technology companies.
The case against Google, initiated during the Trump administration, is part of a broader antitrust push involving other tech giants like Meta, Amazon, and Apple.
(Reuters)