Washington would be ready to cut Google in two. While the Silicon Valley giant had been found guilty of anti-competitive practices in the management and promotion of its famous search engine in December 2023, on Tuesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) gave its ideas to restore the situation.
The thirty-page document sent Tuesday to Washington federal judge Amit Mehta – who had judged Google – is only a preliminary version of the recommendations that the DOJ will send to Judge Mehta in November.
Google agrees to pay $700 million to end lawsuit against its Play Store
Separate search engine from Android
This first version sets out a series of avenues for reform, including the obligation that Google would have to make accessible the data and programming models used to generate results via its search engine. The DOJ also plans to ask the magistrate to prohibit Google from using or retaining data that it refuses to share with third-party companies.
But above all, the US government suggests the possibility of preventing the technology giant from using its Chrome browser, its Google Play Store application store and its Android mobile operating system to give an advantage to its search engine.
Cloud: Google sues Microsoft in Europe for anti-competitive practices
This limitation of interconnections between the different products of the Mountain View group (California) could involve changes “ structural ”, the DOJ thus pointing in the direction of a breakup.
Google with en garde
For Google, the recommendations of the American government “ go well beyond the legal issues addressed in this file “. The judge had in fact ordered the Alphabet subsidiary to modify Android and Google Play Store to allow downloading from other application stores, and to leave the door open for three years.
It also prohibited Google from taking part of the revenue generated by alternative stores, or from requiring a developer to launch their application on the Google Play Store first or only. It had finally prohibited contracts with equipment manufacturers or telephone operators providing for the default installation of Google Play Store on their smartphones in return for payment.
More ” splitting Chrome and Android would destroy them and many other things », Reacted Google in a press release posted on its site.
A forced separation would change their business model, increase the cost of devices and undermine Android and Google Play in their competition with the iPhone and the App Store », Apple’s application store, continues Google.
As for possible sharing of research data and results with other internet players “ would present a risk for the protection of your data and your security », Says the Californian company.
Last word to justice
Note that on Tuesday, almost ten months after a jury found him guilty, a San Francisco magistrate gave the technology giant eight months to comply with his decision, i.e. by early July 2025, because The judgment will become effective on November 1.
The trial notably highlighted the staggering sums paid by the Alphabet subsidiary to ensure the exclusivity of Google Search with manufacturers of smartphones and internet browsers. According to the StatCounter website, in September Google accounted for 90% of the global online search market and even 94% for smartphones.
The return of Fortnite on IPads and iPhones in Europe
In Europe, the regulation on digital markets, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into force in March, is forcing the six largest global tech players to open their platforms to competition. Thus, at the end of August, Epic Games was able to launch its mobile application store on Android devices worldwide and on iPhones and iPads in Europe, allowing users to free themselves from Google and Apple interfaces.
Epic thus sees its flagship title “ Fortnite » sign his return to iPhone and iPad, after being banned in 2020 when he sought to circumvent the rules and payment systems in place.
(With AFP)
Related News :