Google Challenges Chrome Sale Plan and Calls for Balanced Solutions to Support Competition and Innovation
Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, criticized the U.S. Department of Justice’s plan to force it to sell the Chrome browser,
describing it as an “extreme” and illegal measure.
The company urged for balanced solutions that preserve innovation
and promote competition without undermining future investments.
Content
Company’s Demands
Company Urges Caution to Avoid Harm to Innovation and Investment
Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, criticized the U.S. Department of Justice’s plan to force the sale of its Chrome browser,
calling it an “extreme” and unlawful step.
The company urged the federal court judge to exercise caution to prevent negative impacts on innovation and future investments.
In a legal memo submitted on Friday, Google rejected the Department of Justice’s request and
proposed an alternative that addresses the raised concerns.
The company argued that selling Chrome is not a suitable remedy for the violations identified by the judge,
which involved exclusive agreements with other browsers, smartphone manufacturers, and telecom companies.
The memo emphasized that “extreme remedies” are rarely effective and must align with the nature of the violations.
Google’s Proposals
DOJ’s Demands and Google’s Alternative Solutions
The U.S. Department of Justice, along with several states, asked Judge Amit Mehta to order the sale of Chrome
and implement significant changes to Google’s business model to enhance competition in the online search market.
In response, Google proposed alternative solutions, including allowing competing browsers like Apple’s Safari to strike deals
with search engines that best serve their users’ needs.
Google’s Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Ann Mulholland,
stated that the company is willing to continue sharing revenue with competing browsers
while providing users with multiple options during app installation on devices.
She also emphasized that device manufacturers should be allowed to pre-install multiple search engines
without being forced to include Chrome or Google Search.
The Court
Google’s Appeal and the Future of the Trial
Google’s legal memo marks its first official response to Judge Mehta’s ruling that the company unlawfully monopolized online search and advertising markets. The company announced its intention to appeal the decision but clarified that the appeal would only proceed after the case concludes.
Mulholland wrote, “If the DOJ believed that Google’s investment in Chrome, AI development, or approach to web browsing or algorithms was anti-competitive, it would have pursued legal action on those grounds. It did not.” She reaffirmed that Google’s investments aim to foster innovation rather than stifle competition.
A special hearing is scheduled for April 2024 to discuss proposed solutions to address competition issues, with a final decision expected in August 2025. The Department of Justice declined to comment on recent developments, referring instead to previously filed case documents.
Google Challenges Chrome Sale Plan and Calls for Balanced Solutions