The Department of Justice will ask a judge to force Google to sell off its Chrome internet browser as part of its recommendations on how the web giant should be punished for illegally monopolizing the internet search market, reports Bloomberg.
Antitrust officials also plan to recommend that federal judge Amit Mehta require measures related to artificial intelligence and its Android smartphone operating system and impose data licensing requirements, according to sources who spoke with the news outlet.
Mehta branded Google as a ruthless monopolist in a landmark ruling issued in August, saying its ubiquitous search engine had been illegally exploiting its dominance to squash competition and stifle innovation.
Google "enjoys an 89.2% share of the market for general search services, which increases to 94.9% on mobile devices," the ruling said.
The move would be one of the most aggressive attempts by the Biden administration to curb what it alleges are Big Tech monopolies.
Ultimately, however, the reelection of Donald Trump could have the greatest impact over the case.
Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's vice president of regulatory affairs, said the Justice Department "continues to push a radical agenda that goes far beyond the legal issues in this case.
"The government putting its thumb on the scale in these ways would harm consumers, developers and American technological leadership at precisely the moment it is most needed," she added.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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