"Googled" has become a popular verb for everyday life. Whenever someone wants to search for something on the internet, typically they will say they are "googling" it even if they don't use the Google search engine to conduct their actual search. But the U.S. government and the majority of states have alleged that Google's dominance is the result of a monopoly, not the free market.
The Allegations Against Google
In August 2024, Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued his opinion in the consolidated cases of United States v. Google and State of Colorado v. Google.
The U.S. Department of Justice, along with a majority of states, brought these cases against Google because they say the company has a monopoly in the world of search engines. They argue this monopoly is due to Google's agreements with tech makers like Apple and that Google's business fails to allow for fair competition with other search engines which are in the marketplace. These include Yahoo, Bing, and others. They further argue Google's actions are a violation of the Sherman Act which was passed in 1890 to prevent one business from dominating the marketplace for a particular good or service.
After a 10-week trial, Judge Mehta agreed and decided that Google maintains a monopoly in the search engine marketplace.
What Does the Court's Opinion Mean for You?
Ultimately, the Court's opinion is meant to allow for more choices for people to use when they search the internet. It is also supposed to open the door for alternative search engines to obtain more business. This is likely to happen by removing Google's ability to contract with multiple computer and device makers.
However, the court cannot actually control what search product you use, nor does it want to. If people really prefer Google's search engine over its competitors, the Court's opinion may not have much of an impact on you at all.
What Does the Court's Opinion Mean for Google?
The Court has only issued its opinion and has not ordered any financial penalties or other consequences to Google. It could potentially order a number of different things. A fine is likely, but it could go as far as ordering the breakup of Google's parent company, Alphabet.
There will be a future court hearing for Judge Mehta to make that decision. Google has also said it is going to appeal the decision. Both the scheduling of the penalty hearing and the appeal process could take years, so Google likely won't change on your computer screen for a while, if ever.
Related Resources:
- What Is Antitrust Law and Trade Regulation? (FindLaw's Learn About the Law)
- Okay Google, Spell "Antitrust" (FindLaw's Courtside)
- Jury Finds NFL Liable for Antitrust Violations in Upset Win (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
