In August, the decision was made: Google is a monopoly and its anticompetitive policies have resulted in “interlocking and pernicious harms,” according to the US Department of Justice. Now comes the time to restore this competitiveness by taking up a classic idea: divide Google into several companies.
This isn’t the first time they’ve tried to break up Google and it may not be the last, but the bells of a division are ringing again. Chrome, Android and the search engine each on their side and a technological landscape that would change forever.
Chrome, Android and Google, each in their own way
The United States Department of Justice presented its proposal for force Google to sell part of its business in what would be the first division of a technology company in 40 years.
This division is located within the solutions framework proposed before Judge Amit Mehta, who ruled against Google in the monopoly case last August. The remedies are found in four areas:
- Searches: restrict or eliminate default search agreements, pre-installs and revenue sharing agreements, considering structural solutions to separate Chrome, Play and/or Android from Google, as well as limit Google’s control over emerging search technologies such as those powered by AI and implement educational programs to promote informed search engine choices.
- Access and use of data: Require sharing of Google’s search index, data, algorithms and AI models, require transparency of Google advertising results, features and signage.
- Extension of the research monopoly: Limit Google’s use of contracts to prevent competitors’ access to web content and allow publisher websites to opt out of training or appearing in Google’s AI products, such as AI summaries .
- Advertising practices: scale back or restructure Google’s advanced advertising products, including AI-based tools, and explore options for licensing the Google advertising feed separately from search results.
It is in the first point that structural solutions such as the separation of Chrome, Play and/or Androidwhich would have a number of repercussions and ramifications on the industry that are still difficult to imagine, inside and outside the United States.
It’s so hard to imagine Google saying in a blog post that these proposals “risk harming consumers, businesses, and developers.” Point by point, Google highlighted why the proposed solutions are a bad ideain his opinion:
- Separate Chrome from Android, Google said, this would directly destroy both. The reason given is that few companies would have the ability or motivation to maintain their open source or invest in the same way that Google does in its current situation. Such a change would also affect many industries, since Android and Chrome are used on all types of devices.
- Force sharing of research data creates significant security and privacy concerns among users.
- Put obstacles in the way of Google’s AI tools This could hold back American innovation in artificial intelligence at a crucial time.
- Changes in Google Advertising They can potentially make advertisements less interesting and less useful to consumers.
- Search Engine Promotion Restrictions They would harm consumers and businesses and reduce the revenue of companies such as Mozilla or Android mobile makers, which could lead to higher phone prices.
Everything has not yet been said neither by Google nor by the United States Department of Justice, who must present their final proposals and receive Google’s response. next year. We will then know the future of Google and its possible forced division into different companies.
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