Alphabet, the parent company of Google, may be required to sell its Chrome browser after the Department of Justice (DOJ) requested Judge Amit Mehta, who sided with them in the ongoing antitrust case, to make it happen.
In August, Judge Mehta ruled that Google violated antitrust laws in the online search and search text ads markets, ordering the company to correct its illegal practices. A final ruling on the case is expected by August 2568.
While regulatory agencies have recommended that Google should license the results and data from its search engine and give websites more control over their content used in AI, the DOJ has specifically asked the judge to separate Google’s businesses, including Chrome, to reduce its dominance in the search market.
Alphabet did not immediately respond to the DOJ’s request. However, in a statement last month, the company argued that breaking up Chrome would disrupt its business model, increase device costs, and put it at a competitive disadvantage against rivals such as Apple.
Chrome plays a crucial role in Google’s advertising business. As the most popular web browser in the US, with around 61% of the market share, according to StatCounter, it enables Google to track user activity and deliver targeted ads.
