Google has avoided the most severe consequences for its search business nearly one year after a federal court ruled it held an illegal monopoly over the online search market.
The big tech giant won’t be required to sell its Chrome browser — one of the remedies originally requested by the Biden-era Department of Justice. But it must share some search data with its competitors and is no longer allowed to broker exclusive search deals, such as the ones it struck with Apple in Safari’s early years.
The landmark ruling by US District Court Judge Amit Mehta could have reshaped how the internet functions by requiring Google to give up a core part of its business, but Mehta’s decision Tuesday fell short of forcing such a shift. Google’s shares rose 7% in after-hours trading.