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Judge finds Google guilty of search monopoly - a win for anti-trust laws, a victory for the people.

The US DOJ reveals Google's dirty secret: a $26.3B spend to stay at the top, crushing smaller search engines and diversity in the process.

Published August 12, 2024 at 12:47pm by Marley Malenfant

Big Tech Bites Back: Google's Monopolization Lands in Hot Water

On Aug. 5, a federal judge ruled that Google had illegally flexed its muscles, monopolizing online search and advertising. This abusive dominance has finally been called out, with U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta ruling in favor of the Department of Justice.

Google, the so-called "tech giant," has been shelling out billions to stay on top. Their pockets are deep, and they've paid Apple and Samsung billions to keep themselves as the primary search engine, leaving smaller competitors like Duck Duck Go, Bing, and Yahoo! in the dust. Even Neeva, now defunct, couldn't compete.

But Will Google's Reign Finally End?

The DOJ lays out the facts: Google splashed a massive $26.3 billion in 2021 to ensure its position as the default search engine on phones and browsers. That's a lot of dough to keep others from having a chance. The court hasn't yet decided on a remedy, and Google is likely to appeal, but one thing's for sure: change is coming.

The judge has a big decision to make: how to divide Google's ill-gotten market share. Experts suggest one option is to break up those exclusive contracts Google has with the likes of Apple. It's about time users had a real choice.

Judge Mehta Drops the Hammer: Google, You're a Monopolist

In a powerful 286-page ruling, Judge Mehta didn't hold back, stating:

"Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly."

Google, of course, isn't taking this lying down. Their head of global affairs, Kent Walker, has announced an appeal, whining that:

“This decision recognizes that Google offers the best search engine, but concludes that we shouldn’t be allowed to make it easily available.”

Sorry, Google, but being the "best" doesn't give you the right to bully everyone else.

Google: The Near-Total Monopoly, No More?

Let's be clear: Google has a stranglehold on the market. By 2020, 90% of all searches went through Google, and on mobile, it climbs to a staggering 95%. That's way too much power for one company.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella sums it up perfectly:

“You get up in the morning, you brush your teeth and you search on Google. Everybody talks about the open web, but there is really the Google web.”

It's time for a truly open web, free from Google's greed.

USA TODAY contributed to this story.