Google challenges US ruling on search monopoly

Google has appealed a US district court decision that found it had created a monopoly in online search, arguing the August 2024 ruling overlooks user choice, rapid tech change and rising competition. The company is asking for a pause on proposed remedies that would require it to share search data and offer syndicated services to rivals.

Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s VP of regulatory affairs, said the mandates would threaten user privacy and deter competitors from building their own products, weakening the US tech sector. She repeated Google’s position that people use its search engine because they prefer it, not because they are forced. Mulholland also claimed the court dismissed evidence from browser makers such as Apple and Mozilla, which said they chose Google for the quality of its search. As alternative remedies, Google has suggested giving partners like Apple and Mozilla a choice of search engines, dropping requirements to preload Search and Chrome on Android devices, and placing any enforcement under court supervision instead of the federal government.