View: Judge rules Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining its monopoly in search engine market
Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining its monopoly in the search engine market. Mehta found that Google's practice of paying companies like Apple to set it as the default search engine on their devices and browsers constituted an abuse of its dominant position.
The antitrust lawsuit, initiated by the US Justice Dept and several states in 2020, went to trial in September 2023. In the ruling, Mehta stated, 'The court concludes that Google is a monopolist and has acted to maintain its monopoly, thereby violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act,' which prohibits individuals or businesses from 'monopolising, attempting to monopolise, or conspiring to monopolise any aspect of trade or commerce'.
The search engine colossus today handles about 90% of global search queries. It has become so ubiquitous that 'to Google' is a verb synonymous with online searching, veritably making it gatekeeper of the internet for billions.
The company's powerful algorithms determine what information rises to the top and what remains buried on the web. Critics argue that its overwhelming market share allows it to control the flow of information on the internet, potentially influencing what users see and don't see in their search results. This power could be used to favour Google's own products and services, and to suppress competitors — the basis of the several antitrust investigations and lawsuits.
On the surface, Google's dominance stems from providing an accurate, fast and increasingly personalised superior product. The company
