Press Releases
03/07/2025
Attorney General Tong Announces Coalition of State Attorneys General, DOJ Submit Final Proposed Fix to End Google's Search Monopoly
(Hartford, CT) – A coalition of 38 State Attorneys General and the Justice Department today proposed a final package of remedies to end Google’s illegal monopoly over internet search engines and restore competition to the benefit of consumers nationwide. The revised Proposed Final Judgment sticks closely to what the States and the Justice Department offered in November in an initial filing with the D.C. federal district court judge who last year ruled in a landmark decision that Google is a monopolist in online search.
“Google abused its monopoly power over online search to deprive consumers and businesses of choice, innovation, and privacy. States and the Department of Justice are united in this proposed judgment to impose a series of fair and workable remedies to end Google’s illegal monopoly and restore competition,” said Attorney General Tong.
The States coalition, led by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, has worked closely with the Justice Department to offer what the enforcers believe is a comprehensive and legally sound proposal that promises to tear down barriers to entry, restore competition, and invite renewed innovation and consumer benefits in the monopolized markets.
The package of remedies continues to propose a ban on all search-related payments to distribution partners, including Apple and Android partners. Google would also be required to divest Chrome, with the possible divestiture of Android if the initial set of remedies prove less effective than anticipated or if Google fails to comply with the decree. The Government Plaintiffs would further be entitled to preliminarily review Google’s future financial interests in online search and generative AI competitors for a limited period to ensure Google cannot use the same monopolistic playbook with new technologies. Finally, the decree would deny Google of its continuing exclusive control of ill-gotten gains by requiring the company to share targeted portions of its search index, user, and ads data with its competitors for a limited period of time. The revised proposal takes a more refined approach to the sharing of these types of data, accounting for important privacy considerations and protecting national security.
A hearing on the proposed remedies is currently scheduled to begin on April 21 and conclude by May 9.
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