Chrome For Sale?

Last Wednesday, the US government proposed the first steps in the partial breakup of Google, with a starting point of forcing the sale of Chrome [here]:

At the current time, Google Chrome holds over 80% of the browser market. The request also states that Google should not be allowed to have exclusive deals with major hardware providers such as Apple and Google and that Google Chrome should not be the default search engine. Along with this, there should be restrictions on Google using its search engine queries to train its own AI models.

Like it or not, a few US-based technology companies have an increasing stranglehold on our world. These include Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and, of course, Google (aka Alphabet Inc). But this could be coming to an end. In the EU, for example, Apple has been forced to open up their Apps store, and there are hints that the EU may call for Google to be broken up [here]:

Now Google is facing pressure from the US Justice Department on the possibly that it could, in the near future, submit a filing that could break up the company. This relates to monopolistic approaches to its search engine and advertisement business. But, Google is perhaps being given a chance to change its business model with a framework for change [here]:

One of the core changes is that Google should aim to break itself up into business units, and which would trade independently of each other. This might include splitting off Chrome and Android into separate spin-off companies. But, at the core of the changes relate to Google’s advertising revenue, and where the remedy framework is looking for Google to share more of their ad revenue with competitors and for it to be more transparent in how advertisements are actually processed.

Many, too, worry about Google’s power in AI, and the remedy framework hints at the opportunity for users to opt out of their AI products and that Google should share more of its data through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces).

Google, though, has reined against the proposals [here]:

It states that, “We are concerned the DOJ is already signaling requests that go far beyond the specific legal issues in this case,” and “This case is about a set of search distribution contracts. Rather than focus on that, the government seems to be pursuing a sweeping agenda that will impact numerous industries and products.”