Google threatens to secede from the United States

The US government is considering dismantling Google, the world's largest search engine, accusing it of causing “devastating harm” to Americans.

The Department of Defense (DOJ) is considering the alleged remedy A landmark court ruling in August What Google found was illegally crushing its competition in online search.

If the DOJ moves forward with the proposed remedies — and they are accepted by the judge in the case — it would arguably represent the biggest regulatory intervention in the history of big tech.

Google has pushed back hard against the proposals, describing them as “radical” and “sweeping” and claiming they “risk harming consumers, businesses and developers.”

Google has become the search engine for nearly every internet user in the world, accounting for nearly 90% of all online searches.

The DOJ accused the company of using its other products, such as the Chrome browser and Android operating system, to drive users to its search engine, where it makes money by selling ads.

“Google's unlawful conduct continued for more than a decade and involved a number of self-reinforcing tactics,” the DOJ said. In a court filing.

It said this meant potential competitors were unable to gain a foothold in the online search market.

It added that this lack of competition allowed Google to charge unusually high prices for ads “while degrading the quality of those ads and related services”.

The DOJ said it is “considering remedies that would prevent Google from using products like Chrome, Play. [its app store]and for the convenience of Android Google Search and Google Search-related products”.

The DOJ is expected to submit a more detailed proposal by November 20.

Google will be able to submit its own proposed remedy by December 20.

A blog post, Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's vice president of regulatory affairs, said the recommendations constitute “government overreach” and could result in higher prices for consumers.

Ms Mulholland acknowledged that Google gives away its Chrome browser and Android operating system for free because they are “gateways to help people access the web and use our products”.

He warned that if they were to separate from Google, they would have to start making their own money – which would drive up prices.

Ms Mulholland also argued that by paying companies like Apple and Samsung billions of dollars a year to be the default search engine on their devices, they effectively subsidize those products.

So, if they stop paying, the prices of those products will go up, he said.

Citing the Wall Street Journal, Google also claimed that the online advertising market is competitive Article Which means more people are turning to TikTok and Amazon to search.

However, the same article states that Google still has over 50% of the ad search market.

If the goal is to reduce Google's hold on the search market, it will require more than regulatory changes, said Xiaofeng Wang, principal analyst at tech consultancy Forrester.

“This could open up more space for competitors, including smaller players, to increase their market share, leading to a more diverse and competitive market,” she says.

“However, consumer adoption strategies, including technology innovation and marketing, will be critical in determining their ultimate success.”

The outcome of the case could also set a precedent for the regulation of other big American tech giants, Ms. Wang added.

“The US has sued Meta Platform, Amazon.com, and Apple, claiming they illegally maintain monopoly rights. So, if the Google case goes away, it will affect more tech giants,” he says.