DOJ’s battle to break Google’s search monopoly could redefine big tech

Google’s 92% hold on the search market has gone largely unchallenged—until now. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently won a court ruling against Google, arguing that its search monopoly isn’t just a result of user choice but is built on restrictive practices that block competitors.

Now, Google faces a potential shake-up that could redefine the search market as we know it.

To loosen Google’s grip, the DOJ has outlined four remedies: behavioural changes, structural modifications, nondiscrimination and interoperability rules, and limits on contracts with device makers and browsers that make Google the default search engine.

By challenging these agreements, the DOJ hopes to give users more freedom to explore alternative search engines, like Microsoft's Bing or Yahoo, and prevent Google from securing its position through default settings alone.

The DOJ also aims to address Google’s data advantage—years of collected user queries that continuously improve its algorithms and make it difficult for competitors to keep up.

To balance the playing field, the DOJ is considering requiring Google to share certain data and indexing resources with rivals. Although Google has raised privacy concerns, the DOJ argues that privacy shouldn’t be used as a shield for monopolistic practices.

Looking forward, the DOJ also wants to prevent Google from using its current dominance to monopolize future technologies, particularly AI-driven search. With generative AI expected to transform search, the DOJ’s remedies are designed to “futureproof” the market, ensuring that Google’s dominance doesn’t lock out new competitors in this emerging field.

The DOJ is also exploring protections for content creators, proposing that websites remain visible in Google’s search index without having their content used to train Google’s AI models—giving creators more control.

This action against Google’s search monopoly aligns with recent rulings targeting Google’s dominance in-app distribution. Recently, a US judge ruled in favour of Epic Games, mandating Google to allow third-party app stores and alternative payment methods on Android, which mirrors the DOJ’s broader mission to create fairer competition across Google’s ecosystem.

Just as the Play Store ruling could introduce more app options, the DOJ’s case in search could give rival search engines the visibility they need to compete, challenging Google’s influence over both search and advertising.

The DOJ is also taking aim at Google’s power in search advertising, where it holds near-total control. Proposed measures to license Google’s ad feed separately and increase transparency for advertisers aim to create more competition in the ad space, addressing yet another layer of Google’s influence over digital markets.

Predictably, Google has pushed back, calling these proposals “radical” and claiming its success is due to product quality, not restrictive practices. But for the DOJ, dismantling Google’s monopoly requires addressing these entrenched advantages, especially when one company holds such control over access to information.

Ultimately, this isn’t just about Google—it’s a case that could set a precedent for how Big Tech is regulated globally. If successful, the DOJ’s actions could inspire similar efforts worldwide, potentially reshaping how we search, advertise, and interact online.