DOJ to Ask Judge To Force Google To Sell Off Chrome

Google Antitrust Lawsuit

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) plans to ask a judge to order Google to sell off its Chrome web browser as part of an antitrust lawsuit against the company, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Justice Department has been investigating Google for more than a year over allegations that it has abused its dominance in the search and advertising markets to harm competition.

More Than A Decade Of Dominance

Chrome has been the world's most popular web browser for more than a decade, with a market share of over 60%. Google has used its dominance in the browser market to entrench its position in the search and advertising markets, the Justice Department is expected to argue.

Google has denied the allegations against it, arguing that its products are popular because they are superior to those of its rivals.

$20 Billion In Revenue

Google generated more than $20 billion in revenue from Chrome in 2021, according to Bloomberg. The sale of Chrome would be a major blow to Google's business, and it could also have a significant impact on the web browsing experience for millions of users.

The Justice Department's request to force Google to sell off Chrome is a significant escalation in its antitrust case against the company. It remains to be seen whether a judge will agree to the request, but the move shows that the Justice Department is serious about taking action against Google's alleged anti-competitive practices.