A federal judge has ruled that Google will not be required to divest its Chrome browser, delivering a significant victory for the tech giant in a major monopoly case. The decision, issued Tuesday, concludes the remedy phase of a protracted legal battle.
While Google retains ownership of Chrome, the court has imposed new restrictions on its business practices. The company is now barred from establishing or maintaining exclusive distribution contracts for key products, including its Chrome browser, Google Assistant, and the Gemini application. Additionally, Google must provide competitors with access to certain data from its search engine.
The ruling represents a more moderate outcome than the severe penalties sought by federal prosecutors, who had advocated for a forced sale of Chrome and a five-year prohibition on Google’s participation in the browser market. In his decision, the judge characterized the prosecution’s demands as an “overreach.”
The court acknowledged shifts in the digital landscape since the initial liability ruling, noting that the prescribed remedies aim to foster competition not only in traditional search but also in the emerging field of AI-powered search and chatbots. The objective is to prevent Google’s existing market dominance from extending into new technological frontiers.
Market reaction was immediately positive, with Google’s stock value rising in after-hours trading following the announcement. The decision, however, has drawn criticism from some advocacy groups, who argue the sanctions are insufficient to dismantle what they describe as an illegal monopoly.
A separate proceeding concerning Google’s alleged monopolistic practices in online advertising technology is scheduled for later this year.
