A major ruling in the U.S. antitrust case against Google just dropped. Judge Amit Mehta decided:
– Chrome stays with Google, no forced breakup.
– Exclusive search contracts are banned; deals like the $20B+ Apple default search arrangement must end.
– Data sharing is required; Google must open parts of its search index to competitors.
– No structural penalties, divestiture of Chrome or Android was rejected as “overreach.”
Google will appeal, so remedies could take years to kick in.
But the immediate market reaction says a lot: Alphabet stock jumped 8%, Apple shares also rose.
Why this matters for search & ads:
– Default search placement is now open territory. Expect Bing, DuckDuckGo, and AI-first players to fight harder for visibility.
– Regulators are signaling they’ll tolerate Google’s scale, but not its lock-in tactics.
– AI assistants may erode the power of “default search” anyway, making this a short-term victory with long-term uncertainty.
This is the most significant antitrust ruling against Big Tech in decades yet critics say it’s still too soft.
