Google will maintain its formidable search monopoly for the foreseeable future, but a federal court has attached several new strings to its operations. In a ruling that eschewed a corporate breakup, a judge imposed a series of conditions aimed at prying open the market to competitors, however slightly.
The core of Google’s search dominance, including its ownership of the Chrome browser and its ability to pay for default placement on devices like the iPhone, remains untouched. This was the central victory for the tech giant, which argued that its integration of services benefits consumers.
However, the “strings” attached are not insignificant. The prohibition on exclusive search deals means Google can no longer legally block partners from featuring rival search engines. This could create opportunities for competitors to strike their own deals with device manufacturers and mobile carriers.
The most significant new condition is the requirement to share search data. While the specifics are still to be determined, this measure is a direct intervention designed to lower the barrier to entry for potential rivals. Google’s vast repository of user search data has long been considered one of its most powerful and unassailable competitive advantages, and the court has now ordered it to share a piece of that prize.
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