Google appeals U.S. antitrust ruling on search monopoly

Google has appealed a landmark U.S. antitrust ruling that found the company illegally maintained a monopoly in online search.

The appeal follows an August 2024 decision by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who ruled that the search giant violated antitrust law. Google said on Friday that the court failed to reflect market realities and the level of competition it faces.

“As we have long said, the Court's August 2024 ruling ignored the reality that people use Google because they want to, not because they're forced to,” said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Vice President for regulatory affairs.

Google is also seeking a pause on implementing remedies ordered by the court, which are intended to curb its dominance in search.

In a ruling issued in September, Judge Mehta said rapid changes in technology, including the rise of generative AI, had altered the case. He rejected a request by government lawyers to break up Google, including spinning off its Chrome browser.

Instead, Mehta ordered less sweeping remedies. These included requiring the search giant to share certain data with ‘qualified competitors’ as determined by the court. The data was expected to include parts of Google’s search index, a vast database that catalogues web content.

The judge also directed the company to allow some competitors to display Google search results as their own, a move aimed at giving smaller companies time and resources to develop competing products.

Mulholland criticised those requirements, particularly the data-sharing provisions. “These mandates would risk Americans' privacy and discourage competitors from building their own products - ultimately stifling the innovation that keeps the U.S. at the forefront of global technology,” she wrote.

Google’s appeal comes as its investments in AI face increased scrutiny. Last month, the European Union opened an investigation into its AI-generated summaries that appear above search results.

The European Commission said it would examine whether the search giant used content from websites without adequate compensation to publishers. Google said the investigation could hinder innovation in a competitive market.