The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is pursuing one of its most aggressive antitrust measures yet, seeking to compel Alphabet’s Google to divest its Chrome browser. This move builds on an August ruling where a court found Google guilty of monopolizing the search market. Chrome, which dominates about two-thirds of the global browser market, is integral to Google’s search and advertising dominance. By requiring Chrome users to log in with Google accounts, the company gathers data crucial for targeted advertising, further strengthening its market hold.

The DOJ’s proposal aims to address the monopolistic ecosystem by eliminating Google’s ability to leverage exclusive agreements with companies like Apple, where billions are paid annually to maintain its default search engine status. Other potential remedies include restricting Google’s ad operations, requiring interoperability of its data with rivals, and divesting parts of its business, including the Android operating system. The government also argues that merely behavioral remedies, such as fines or operational commitments, would fail to curb Google’s dominance effectively.

Google, however, has strongly opposed the DOJ’s approach, calling it a “radical agenda” that undermines consumer interests. The company maintains that its products succeed due to quality and competition exists from other players like Amazon and Bing. Despite this, the DOJ insists that Chrome’s market power creates barriers for new competitors, ultimately limiting consumer choice and innovation.

Legal proceedings to finalize remedies are scheduled for April 2025, with decisions expected later that year. If enforced, this would be the most significant antitrust breakup since AT&T’s dismantling in the 1980s, marking a historic intervention in Big Tech practices.