Kingdom

Gemini

Satoshi

United

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an effort to curtail Google’s dominance in the search engine market. Its proposal could reshape the landscape of Big Tech.&nbsp;
In an Oct. 8 <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.223205/gov.uscourts.dcd.223205.1052.0.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank" text="null" title="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.223205/gov.uscourts.dcd.223205.1052.0.pdf">filing</a>, the DOJ called for the breakup of Google’s search business as part of its <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-congress-members-demand-answers-google-over-ai-overview" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="null" text="null" title="null">ongoing antitrust lawsuit</a>, accusing the company of maintaining an illegal monopoly.&nbsp;
<h2 id="doj-targets-google">DOJ targets Google</h2>
The DOJ’s proposal seeks significant changes to break Google’s hold on search and advertising. It includes structural changes, such as separating parts of Google’s search business and behavioral changes aimed at protecting consumers and fostering competition.&nbsp;
One major aspect of the proposal is to prevent Google from leveraging its dominance to <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/apple-google-ai-dominance-cathie-wood-ark" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_self" text="null" title="https://cointelegraph.com/news/apple-google-ai-dominance-cathie-wood-ark">control emerging technologies like artificial intelligence</a>.
The DOJ also suggested that Google should be required to share search data and indexes with competitors and that websites should be able to opt out of having their content used to train AI models.
Additionally, the DOJ recommends establishing a “court-appointed technical committee” to oversee Google’s compliance with these new regulations.
<figure><img alt="Google, Technology, Department of Justice, Tech &amp; AI" src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2024-10/01927b6e-ee82-7578-a48c-82053b471c63" title="">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Source: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://twitter.com/adamkovac/status/1844037603970150414" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank" text="null" title="https://twitter.com/adamkovac/status/1844037603970150414">Adam Kovacevich</a>
 </figcaption>
</figure>
While none of these are set-in-stone measures, they are all up for consideration in the DOJ’s proposal.&nbsp;
Related: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/google-gemini-1-5-api-pro-flash-models-launch" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="null" text="null" title="null">Google releases production-ready Gemini 1.5 for developers</a>
Google responded on Oct. 9 with a blog&nbsp;<a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/public-policy/doj-search-remedies-framework/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="null" text="null" title="null">post</a> defending its business practices and warning of the broader consequences for the tech industry.
<blockquote>
 “Government overreach in a fast-moving industry may have negative unintended consequences for American innovation and America’s consumers.”
</blockquote>
However, this is not the only instance of Big Tech companies getting called out for their monopolizing business practices in the last year.&nbsp;
<h2 id="why-it-s-happening">Why it’s happening</h2>
The DOJ’s move against Google is the culmination of years of scrutiny over the company’s search monopoly, which it maintains through exclusive deals with web browsers and phone manufacturers.&nbsp;
These agreements ensure Google’s search engine remains the default option for billions of users, stifling competition and innovation in the digital ecosystem.&nbsp;
As noted by the DOJ in their proposal, this stranglehold limits consumers’ choices and gives Google disproportionate control over the flow of information. On Sept. 23, the DOJ brought a similar <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/doj-sues-visa-alleged-payments-monopoly" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_self" text="null" title="https://cointelegraph.com/news/doj-sues-visa-alleged-payments-monopoly">case against the payments giant Visa</a>, calling its tactics a payments monopoly.&nbsp;
However, in the case of Google and the greater Big Tech scene, there’s more to this than just search engines.&nbsp;
<h2 id="big-tech-under-watch">Big Tech under watch</h2>
Regulators are increasingly concerned about the role Big Tech companies play in shaping the future of AI, which is set to drive the next wave of technological innovation.&nbsp;
One fear is that Google’s dominance in search could translate into monopolistic control over AI as well. The more data Google collects, the stronger its AI models become, raising concerns about competition in the rapidly growing field of generative AI.
Already, regulators in the European Union have launched investigations into Big Tech companies, including Apple, Google and Meta, <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/eu-probe-apple-google-meta-violation-digital-markets-act" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="null" text="null" title="null">over violations of its Digital Markets Act</a> back in March 2024.&nbsp;
In August 2024, regulators in the United Kingdom <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/amazon-faces-uk-merger-probe-4-b-anthropic-ai-investment" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_self" text="null" title="https://cointelegraph.com/news/amazon-faces-uk-merger-probe-4-b-anthropic-ai-investment">probed web services giant Amazon</a> over its $4 billion investment in Anthropic AI, one of the industry’s leading models.&nbsp;
In its response to the DOJ, Google warned that dismantling its search business would affect its AI efforts and overall profitability, ultimately making it harder for the company to compete globally.&nbsp;
AI Eye: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/insane-satoshi-podcast-created-in-seconds-crypto-ai-outperform-memecoins-ai-eye/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_self" text="null" title="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/insane-satoshi-podcast-created-in-seconds-crypto-ai-outperform-memecoins-ai-eye/">Insane Satoshi podcast created in seconds, Crypto + AI outperform memecoins</a>

DOJ pushes to break up Google’s search monopoly in antitrust case

Table of Contents

Cointelegraph

Other articles published on Oct 11, 2024

Ripple’s final blow? Garlinghouse promises to seal SEC’s fate

PayPal Opens Cryptocurrency Market to U.S. Business Accounts

BTC price gains 'on horizon' as Bitcoin whales buy 1.5M BTC — Analysis

Bitcoin Dollar-Cost Averaging: A Beginner’s Guide to Taming Price Volatility

Crypto.com Takes Legal Action Against SEC Over Wells Notice

Stripe’s new stablecoin option gains traction in 70 countries on day 1

Join our free newsletter for daily crypto updates!