The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is standing its ground: Google should remove its Chrome web browser.
This comes as a key part of the DOJ’s efforts to address what they see as Google’s monopolistic control over the search engine market.
It is learned that the agency’s revised proposal, following a court ruling against Google’s search engine practices, emphasizes that selling Chrome is essential to fostering a more competitive environment.
The reasoning behind this stems from Chrome’s position as an important entry point for web searches.
The DOJ sees Google’s ownership of Chrome, combined with its dominant search engine, as an obstacle to fair competition, they write. foreign media, the Telegraph reports.
And by forcing Google to sell Chrome, the agency aims to make room for a new competitor to create a significant gateway to web searches.
This move is designed to level the playing field, giving other companies a chance to compete in the search and browser space.
However, selling Chrome presents potential challenges.
One concern is how a new owner can manage the browser.
Currently, Google offers the open-source Chromium project, which allows other developers to build their own browsers.
A new owner could potentially decide to discontinue this open source project, which would have effects on many other companies and developers that rely on it.
This uncertainty adds a layer of complexity to the proposed solution.
But, interestingly, the DOJ’s revised proposal has removed the previous suggestion that Google sell Android.
This indicates a shift in focus, with the agency now focusing primarily on Chrome as the key to addressing Google’s alleged monopoly.
Additionally, the Department has eased restrictions on Google’s investments in AI companies.
This decision reflects the current strategic importance of AI, particularly in the US’s efforts to maintain its leadership in this rapidly developing field. /Telegraph/