[Google Chrome. Photo credit: Pixabay]

In a significant antitrust move, the United States Department of Justice has called for Google to sell its Chrome web browser, which currently dominates the global internet browsing market. 

The Chrome divestiture proposal is part of a broader set of legal remedies outlined in a recent Department of Justice court document. 

The filing outlines strategic interventions designed to challenge Google's dominant position and disrupt its long-standing monopoly in the online search market.

The government's legal team further proposed that District Judge Amit Mehta impose restrictions on Google's current business practices. 

Specifically, they recommended prohibiting the tech company from maintaining exclusive agreements with major device manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, which currently ensure Google's search engine is the default option on numerous smartphones and web browsers.

These proposed remedies are a direct consequence of a groundbreaking antitrust decision that was issued in August, where Judge Mehta conclusively determined that Google had engaged in illegal practices designed to systematically suppress and eliminate competition in the online search market.

In a unified legal effort, the Department of Justice partnered with a coalition of state attorneys general to submit the filing. 

Together, they contended that the proposed changes would effectively dismantle Google's market monopoly and foster greater competition in the digital search sector.

The government's legal team asserted that breaking Google's stranglehold on the search and search advertising markets requires reviving the competitive dynamics that the tech giant has systematically stifled for years. 

Their argument emphasizes the need to restore a fair and open marketplace, enabling multiple companies to compete effectively.

Google fired back at the Department of Justice's proposals, labeling them as an extreme regulatory overreach that could potentially harm both consumer interests and the United States' standing in global technology innovation. 

The company cautioned that the DOJ's interventionist approach could undermine America's technological competitive edge on the world stage.

Government attorneys argued that Google has strategically leveraged its control of both the Chrome browser and the Android operating system to systematically direct users toward its search engine. 

As part of their comprehensive remedy proposal, they recommended a five-year prohibition preventing Google from re-entering the browser market. 

Additionally, the Department of Justice proposed implementing judicial supervision of the Android ecosystem to prevent the company from leveraging its platform to unfairly advantage its search and search advertising services.

Google is anticipated to present its alternative proposed remedies by December 20th. 

The legal proceedings are set to culminate with Judge Mehta's ruling, scheduled for the summer of 2025.

According to web traffic analysis platform Statcounter, Google dominates the global search market, commanding approximately 90% of all online searches worldwide.

The Department of Justice initially filed its antitrust case against Google during the final stages of Donald Trump's first presidential term. 

With Trump returning to office on January 20th, speculation has emerged about  whether his administration might alter the trajectory of this significant legal challenge against the tech giant.

Even if the federal government were to withdraw from the lawsuit, the participating states maintain the legal standing to independently continue the antitrust case against Google, ensuring the legal proceedings could move forward regardless of potential federal intervention.