Google must hand over its search results and some data to rival companies but does not need to break itself up by selling its Chrome web browser, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.
The decision, by Judge Amit P. Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, falls short of the sweeping changes proposed by the government to rein in the power of Silicon Valley.
Judge Mehta said in the 223-page ruling that Google must share some of its search data with “qualified competitors” to resolve its monopoly. The Justice Department had asked the judge to force the company to share even more of its data, arguing it was key to Google’s dominance.
ARLINGTON, Va. — This afternoon (Sept. 2), US District Judge Amit Mehta filed the court’s remedies decision on Google’s antitrust search case. The ruling, which requires Google to share search data with its competitors but will not require the company to divest from Chrome or Android, also did not provide a remedy for publishers who are currently being forced to allow Google to use their content for its Generative AI products.
In response, Danielle Coffey, president and CEO of the News/Media Alliance, issued the following statement:
“We are disappointed in today’s decision. Judge Mehta’s ruling did not address the ability of Google to further cement its market power through its AI offerings. Google is forcing content creators to give away their content to be used in its AI offerings in order to remain in Google Search. This is a no-win scenario that will continue to harm publishers that invest in high-quality, journalistic and creative content. Giving publishers the ability to opt out of Google’s AI is critical to preserving an open internet free from anti-competitive behavior, and preserving a fair playing field for companies across a variety of industries. This ruling is not the end, but it is a missed opportunity.”
About the News/Media Alliance:
The News/Media Alliance is the largest nonprofit trade association representing around 2,200 news, magazine and digital media organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and globally. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance represents the news media industry within Congress, the Administration and state governments, focusing on ensuring the future of journalism through communication, research, advocacy and innovation. Information about the News/Media Alliance can be found at www.newsmediaalliance.org.
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