Having to share data with competitors, will Google's monopoly end?

DNVN - In a landmark ruling in the antitrust case of the century, Google was required to share search data with competitors. However, Google won an important victory by not being forced to sell the Chrome browser or separate the Android operating system, core parts of its business.

Under the new ruling, Google will have to share data with competitors.

On September 2, Judge Amit P. Mehta of the District Court for the District of Columbia issued a 223-page ruling, ending a five-year legal battle between Google and the US Department of Justice . Accordingly, to resolve the monopoly in the search field, Google will have to transfer its search results and some of its search data to qualified competitors. This is an effort to create real competition in a market that Google currently dominates.

The ruling is seen as a compromise from the government 's original request. The US Justice Department had previously asked the court to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser and separate other businesses such as Android and the Google Ad Manager advertising platform. The government argued that only by breaking up Google could it break up its monopoly, remove the single "gatekeeper" who controls the flow of information and advertising dollars, thereby creating opportunities for startups and giving consumers more choice. However, Judge Mehta did not approve this request.

Investors reacted positively to the ruling, sending Google shares up 7.2% in trading on September 2. Reuters called the result a "rare victory for Big Tech", as retaining Chrome and Android helped Google eliminate a major concern, as these were extremely important parts of the company's business.

For its part, Google expressed concern that sharing data “would have an impact on users and their privacy,” and said the company was “carefully reviewing this decision.” Google also plans to appeal, suggesting the case could drag on for years to come.

Google's lawsuit was described by Bill Baer, ​​a former US antitrust official, as "the most important antitrust case of the 21st century." Judge Mehta had previously ruled that "Google is a monopoly and has acted to maintain its monopoly."

The US government has pointed out that Google spends billions of dollars each year to be the default search engine on browsers and smartphones. Specifically, in 2021, this figure was $26.3 billion. In this way, Google has created a closed loop: the top position brings in more users, which in turn gives Google more data to improve its search engine, which in turn attracts more customers, stifling competitors.

Outside of search, another judge ruled in April 2025 that Google had created an “illegal advertising empire” that harmed the digital advertising market.

While the ruling is considered “modest,” it is still the most significant attempt to challenge the dominance of big tech companies since the lawsuit against Microsoft more than 20 years ago. This legal battle is not just about Google, but also a test for the world in determining the boundary between technological innovation and monopoly in the digital age.

Hien Thao

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/phai-chia-se-du-lieu-cho-doi-thu-the-doc-quyen-cua-google-co-cham-dut/20250903022137204