Summary

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) plans to ask a judge to force Google to sell its Chrome browser, aiming to break up its dominance in the search market and address antitrust violations.

The DoJ also seeks structural remedies for Google’s role in artificial intelligence and the Android ecosystem, along with data licensing requirements.

Google, controlling 90% of the global search market, has called the actions an overreach that would harm consumers.

This follows an earlier court ruling finding Google guilty of maintaining an illegal monopoly. Proposed remedies are due by December 20.

  • MyOpinion@lemm.ee
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    1 month ago

    This is a good first step. Force the browser into an open source project and allow everyone to submit code to it.

  • circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 month ago

    It will be a toothless effort. Splitting up Google or any tech giant at anything near the scale of the Ma Bell breakup is a pipe dream in modern, corporate-owned America. It does not matter how big these companies get. They’ve already won, so the only way to get any headway is changing the game.

    • NaibofTabr@infosec.pub
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      1 month ago

      Many mobile apps are just stripped-down web browsers hard coded to only access one website. Most of those type of app are built on Chromium.

      It’s embedded in every smart TV and most other IoT devices that require some kind of web interface.

    • ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net
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      1 month ago

      It’s the most popular browser by usage rate around the world.

      So tech companies build for it.

      And people use it because that’s what works.

      Because it’s the most popular browser by usage rate in the world.

      So tech companies build for it…

      • Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 month ago

        Honestly I think most people use it because that’s what’s already on their device. There is a shocking number of people that don’t realize they can even replace apps with other apps.

  • ThrowawayOnLemmy@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    So I don’t get how this addresses the anti trust issues… So Google doesn’t own the browser, won’t they still make deals to be the default search engine across all devices? Don’t they still manipulate search results to benefit themselves and their ad revenue above the quality of their search results?

    • l_b_i@pawb.social
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      1 month ago

      I don’t know if this is part of the case, but browsers basically control standards, and with the size of chrome, that means google controls the standards. The browser is a big aspect of the ad pipeline. Because they have the browser they could direct page views to themselves more than they do by using amp links. Even with blocking cookies and such, chrome still sends data back to google. There was the whole logon scheme they were pushing (I don’t remember the name) that only chrome would be able to do. There is a lot you can direct to yourself if you control the main access method.

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Yes, I’m sure that someone else will want to buy Google’s loss leader, Chrome, so they too can spend a bunch of money to get sued.

    It would make more sense and be more effective to require them to spin off DoubleClick/display ads.

  • Sabata@ani.social
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    1 month ago

    Monopoly on harming consumers complaints that they may harm consumers if they don’t have an monopoly on harming consumers.

  • breadsmasher@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago
    1. Divest android to a new corporation in a tax haven
    2. “license” android to google for more money than they make from selling phones
    3. write loss off in tax

    the starbucks model