Google illegally monopolised search options, judge rules

The landmark decision on Monday is a major blow to Alphabet, Google's parent company. The company plans to appeal the ruling. 

On Monday a US federal judge ruled that Google has violated antitrust laws, saying the internet giant “is a monopolist” and that it “has acted to maintain its monopoly”. The decision has shaken the foundations of the tech giant’s business. For more than a decade, Google has been the dominant search engine in the market, controlling about 90 per cent of the US online search market. 

It is unclear what penalties Google and Alphabet will face as a result of the decision. The fines or other remedies (such as enforced mitigation) will be decided in a future hearing. The US government has asked for "structural relief", which could in theory mean the break-up of the company. Alphabet, however, will appeal the ruling. “This decision recognises that Google offers the best search engine, but concludes that we shouldn’t be allowed to make it easily available," the statement from the company said. 

It is not the first time Google has been found guilty of breaching antitrust regulations. Over the last decade, the company has been fined a total of €8.25 billion by the European Union for three separate breaches of the bloc’s antitrust laws. Other companies, including Amazon and Apple, have also been sued for monopolistic business practices over the past few years. Antitrust authorities, in the United States and elsewhere, are attempting to thus strengthen competition in the industry. 

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