U.S. VS Google

A monopoly trial against Google begins today, marking the biggest tech antitrust trial in over two decades. The Department of Justice, with over 30 state attorneys general, has accused the tech giant of violating antitrust laws by allegedly abusing its dominance in search and search advertising to suppress competition.

The trial will center on Google's billions of dollars in payments to browser creators (like Apple) for ensuring its search engine would be the default. It will also touch on contracts with Android phone manufacturers requiring them to preload Google apps, which often can’t be deleted. Officials say the result is a self-reinforcing monopoly that has locked up 90% of the search query channels, obstructing competition. Google says users prefer its search engine and argues these agreements did not prevent other companies from developing or promoting their own search engines.

The case parallels a 2001 antitrust suit against Microsoft when the maker of the Windows operating system was accused of pressuring computer manufacturers to preload Internet Explorer. The trial is expected to last up to 10 weeks, with a ruling expected in 2024.