Google has escaped the threat of being forced to sell off Android or the Chrome browser. But a court says it must share data to make it easier for rivals to compete in the search market.

Last year a court found Google had acted unlawfully to maintain its dominance in the online search market. This included the steps it took to make it the default search engines on some browsers.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) had called for a range of harsh measures to rectify Google's behavior, most strikingly to force it to sell Android or Chrome to a third party. The logic there was that this would break the ties between these technologies and Google's search tools.

They had also called for court oversight of Android as a whole to make sure Google didn't unfairly favor its own search services.

Google Must Share Search Data

The judge has rejected these proposals and instead said Google must share key data from its search databases with other search engine operators. In some cases it will even have to let them present Google search results under their own banner. The idea is that this will give rivals breathing space to develop their own technologies and compete with Google on quality and presentation.

The judge specifically noted that the emergence of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT since the case began back in 2020 have affected the ruling. He said this made it easier for rivals to compete on providing information without having to match Google's financial firepower. (Source: bbc.co.uk)

The DOJ has also called for a ban on Google paying companies to bundle its search engine on devices or in browsers, including making it the default option. The judge rejected this but says Google can no longer sign exclusive contracts.

Breakup Threat Still Remains

Google is still complaining about the original decision that it broke the law, arguing that "Competition is intense and people can easily choose the services they want." Responding to the penalty ruling it says "We have concerns about how these requirements will impact our users and their privacy, and we're reviewing the decision closely." (Source: blog.google)

Google does still face penalties in another monopoly case, this time involving its online advertising technology. That court has already ruled Google broke the law but is still determining the resulting penalties. The Department of Justice has made similar requests for a breakup of the company in that case.

What's Your Opinion?

Is this a suitable penalty? Do you agree that the rise of AI makes it easier for rival search services to compete with Google? Have you tried other search tools and how did they compare?