On Saturday, Alphabet’s Google announced its intention to appeal an antitrust ruling that proposed less stringent measures for improving online search competition, diverging from the ten-year plan favored by antitrust authorities.
In a post on X, Google stated, “We will wait for the Court’s opinion. We still strongly believe the Court’s original decision was wrong and look forward to our eventual appeal.”
The remarks came after US District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington concluded arguments in a trial concerning potential solutions for addressing Google’s illegal monopoly in the online search and advertising sectors on Friday.
In April, a federal judge determined that Google held an illegal dominance over two online advertising technology markets, with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) recommending that Google divest at least its Google Ad Manager, which encompasses the company’s publisher ad server and ad exchange.
The DOJ, alongside a coalition of states, has urged Google to furnish search data and to terminate its multibillion-dollar agreements with Apple and other smartphone manufacturers that secure its position as the default search engine on new devices.
Concerns have been raised regarding Google’s search monopoly and its implications for its Artificial Intelligence (AI) ventures, such as the Gemini product line, and how they can be mutually reinforcing.
John Schmidtlein, representing Google, asserted during the hearing that while generative AI is transforming search functionality, the company has mitigated competitive concerns in the AI space by discontinuing exclusive agreements with wireless carriers and smartphone producers, including Samsung Electronics. This shift allows competitors to install alternative search and AI applications on new devices.
© Thomson Reuters 2025
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