Is Google Chrome Up for Sale?

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly pressuring Google's parent company, Alphabet, to sell its Chrome browser in order to reduce Google's monopoly.

This was mentioned in a Bloomberg article. It is rumored that the DOJ will ask the judge, who ruled in August that Google has illegally monopolized the search market, to also prescribe measures related to artificial intelligence and the Android smartphone operating system.

The DOJ has declined to comment on the matter. On the other hand, a Google representative criticized the potential decision.

"The DOJ is pushing a radical agenda. It is beyond the scope of the laws in the present case and would harm consumers," said Lee Anne Mulholland, Google's vice president of regulatory affairs.

This move is seen as an aggressive step by the Biden administration to challenge the monopoly of big tech companies. However, experts suggest that if Trump wins the 2024 election, it could influence the outcome of this case.

Two months before the polls, Trump accused Google of bias in a separate case. He questioned whether breaking up the company would be a good idea just a month before the election.

Next year, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is set to deliver a judgment in the Google case, and the company intends to appeal.

In addition, prosecutors appear to have plans beyond just the sale of Chrome.

Every year, Google pays billions of dollars to several smartphone companies, including Apple, to ensure that Chrome is set as the default browser on their devices.

Prosecutors are preparing to challenge these deals and prevent such arrangements from continuing.