Judge Amit Mehta declined to force Google to sell its Chrome browser, instead handing down targeted remedies designed to loosen the company’s grip on search and digital advertising. The order bars Google from entering exclusive distribution deals across Search, Chrome, Google Assistant and its Gemini AI app, and requires the company to share certain search index elements and user-interaction data with qualified competitors.
The U.S. Department of Justice says Google used “a series of exclusionary agreements” and default preinstall arrangements that left it processing roughly 90 percent of U.S. search queries, creating a self-reinforcing monopoly. Reports also indicate the remedies will require Google to offer syndication of search and text ads to other platforms, though the full written order was not immediately available.
The litigation began in 2020 and was joined by nearly every U.S. state and territory; a 2024 finding held Google unlawfully monopolized search in violation of the Sherman Act. Rather than ordering an asset breakup, Tuesday’s decision focuses on contractual limits and regulated data access as the primary tools for restoring competition.
For the crypto and Web3 community, the ruling matters. Google is reportedly developing a layer-1 blockchain and is expanding into AI browsers and enterprise services — moves that tie the company more closely to blockchain infrastructure and institutional crypto adoption. At the same time, mandated data sharing could help rivals improve ad targeting and search relevance, leveling the playing field incrementally.
Analysts call the remedies meaningful but not transformational. “Chrome keeps its distribution advantage and ecosystem integration,” said Ryan Yoon of Tiger Research, while added data access “could enable competitors to build better targeting features.” Public affairs attorney Andrew Rossow described the order as a shift toward “market unblocking” via contract and data regulation rather than forced divestiture.
Risk considerations: Developers and businesses should monitor compliance, privacy and implementation timelines as Google adjusts. Competitive benefits for rivals are possible but likely incremental; Google’s scale and integrated services remain a formidable advantage.
Source: Decrypt. Read the original coverage for full details.
