U.S. Justice Department Seriously Considers Breaking Up Google

Following its conviction for anti-competitive behavior, the company is under scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Justice is considering several actions, including potentially breaking up the company. What will the final decision be?

Bluetooth Sounds the Alarm: A Blow to Competition

Google, the tech behemoth, began August under the shadow of a significant threat. The U.S. Department of Justice has found Google guilty of violating antitrust laws. This historic decision could lead to severe consequences, including the potential dismantling of the Mountain View-based corporation.

Potential Scenarios from Android to Apple

Media giants like the New York Times and Bloomberg reveal that the U.S. Department of Justice is contemplating separating Android, the operating system running on nearly 2.5 billion devices.

The verdict from Judge Amit Mehta criticizes Google’s mandates for device manufacturers to pre-install its search widget and Chrome browser.

The Underpinnings of an Advertising Hegemony

The scrutiny extends beyond Google’s applications. Its AdWords advertising platform is also under investigation.

Doubts about Google’s dominance arise as it allegedly prioritizes its ads at the top of search results, which could violate free competition principles, according to the judge, facilitated by AdWords.

What’s Next After Deliberations?

The U.S. Department of Justice is weighing additional measures, such as requiring Google to share its data with competitors like Microsoft (Bing) or DuckDuckGo. Ending the contract that makes Google the default search engine on Apple’s iPhone might also be considered.

These ongoing negotiations are expected to lead to a proposal by the Justice Department by September 4. A hearing scheduled for September 6 will outline the next steps.