Introduction to the Antitrust Case
In August 2024, the Internet giant Alphabet lost the largest antitrust supply challenge, with a US judge finding that its subsidiary Google illegally monopolized the search market. The judge, Amit Mehta, at the US Federal Court, ruled that Google made payments of $26.3 billion to other companies to make its Internet search engine the default option for smartphones and web browsers, effectively blocking other competitors in the market.
Consequences of the Decision
As a result of the decision, the US Ministry of Justice proposes that Google be forced to sell its Chrome browser. In addition to the sale of Chrome, the cartel supervisory authorities also require new measures to be taken by Google in connection with artificial intelligence and its Android smartphone operating system. The Ministry of Justice stated that Google’s illegal behavior not only withdrew critical sales channels from its rivals but also prevented sales partners who could otherwise enable new and innovative ways to enter these markets.
Interest in Buying Chrome
Although Chrome is still not officially for sale, several companies, including Openai, Yahoo, and Apollo Global Management, a private equity company, have expressed interest in buying the browser. A startup for artificial intelligence, Confusion AI, made an offer on August 12, 2025, to buy the browser for $34.5 billion, almost twice its own evaluation, without saying how it would finance such a deal.
Importance of Chrome to Google’s Business
Losing Chrome would be a difficult blow for Google, as the browser serves as the company’s gateway to the Internet, enabling it to advertise and keep customers, including services such as Google Mail and Gemini for AI. Chrome is also a crucial part of Google’s core business for the sale of internet advertising, as it allows the company to collect more data on search behavior and preferred websites, helping Google to set its ads more efficiently.
Impact on Google’s Advertising Business
Advertising is essential for Google and its parent company Alphabet, with sales of over $230 billion in 2023, making up the majority of its total income of $307 billion for the year. Nils Seebach, Co-CEO and CFO of Digital Consultancy Etribes, stated that "when Chrome falls, Google stalls significantly," as Chrome is an integral part of Google’s business model in its current setup, but probably cannot survive alone.
Potential Consequences of a Sale
A sale of Chrome would also be a significant challenge for Alphabet, with Seebach adding that such an event would be a big disturbance, even for the digital market. Ulrich Müller from the anti-monopoly community welcomed the proposal, stating that a sale of Chrome would reduce Google’s advertising income and contain its market dominance, potentially causing the company to compete more on the quality of its services.
Historical Context of the Antitrust Case
The judgment against Google reflects over a century of the US Cartel Act, with similar cases including the separation of Standard Oil in 1911 and the breakup of AT&T in 1982. The regulatory examination of monopolies was intensive in the 1960s and early 1970s but fell off in the 1980s when neoliberal teachings tolerated market concentration. Microsoft was also a target of monopoly regulators in the past, with a US court deciding that the software giant must be divided due to its monopolistic practices.
