Ritika Janiya
Google’s rivals, including Yelp and DuckDuckGo, recently celebrated a major win when a federal judge ruled that Google has been acting as an illegal monopoly. However, the real challenge lies ahead as these competitors push for strong measures to restore fair competition. They believe that without effective remedies, Google will continue to dominate, making it essential for the court to impose strict changes that level the playing field.
Google’s long-time rivals, like Yelp and DuckDuckGo, have been in a tough battle for years, competing against the tech giant in the online search market. They finally got a significant win when a federal judge ruled that Google has been operating as an illegal monopoly. This ruling is a big deal, as it confirms that Google has been unfairly using its power to crush competition. But, for Yelp, DuckDuckGo, and others, this is just the beginning of a long fight to restore fairness in the market.
The judge’s decision is a milestone, but the bigger challenge now is figuring out how to make things right. The judge still has to decide on the remedies—what should be done to stop Google from continuing its monopolistic practices and to help other companies compete fairly. Rivals like Yelp and DuckDuckGo are pushing for strong actions, but they know it won’t be easy.
Yelp’s CEO, Jeremy Stoppelman, shared his thoughts in a blog post after the ruling, saying, “While we’re happy with the decision, what comes next is crucial.” DuckDuckGo’s senior vice president of public affairs, Kamyl Bazbaz, echoed this sentiment, saying, “We’ve crossed a significant hurdle, but there’s still much work to be done. Google will fight to keep its advantage, so we need a solid plan to ensure fair competition.”
These statements show that the rivals understand how important it is for the court to impose strong remedies. The judge’s ruling was clear—Google violated antitrust laws by making deals with phone and browser makers to keep its search engine as the default option. But if the remedies are weak, Google could continue to dominate the market without any real change.
DuckDuckGo has seen how important effective remedies are, especially after Google was declared a monopolist in the European Union (EU) years ago. The EU tried to increase competition by creating a choice screen, allowing device users to pick their default search engine. Unfortunately, this solution didn’t have the impact competitors hoped for, and Google remains the dominant player.
Bazbaz stressed the importance of getting the details right, saying, “We can’t emphasize enough: the implementation details matter.” He explained that in the EU, some solutions showed promise, but Google found ways to work around them. DuckDuckGo is calling for a group of truly independent experts to monitor any remedies the court imposes, ensuring that Google doesn’t find new ways to give itself an unfair advantage.
One idea DuckDuckGo is pushing for is to make the choice screen appear more often, not just during the initial setup of a device. They also want a ban on popups that trick users into sticking with Google’s search engine, a tactic they say isn’t properly regulated in the EU.
Another strong measure DuckDuckGo supports is banning Google from buying default status or pre-installation deals, which could potentially end Google’s multibillion-dollar contract with Apple. They also believe Google should provide access to its search and advertising APIs to level the playing field.
Yelp’s CEO, Jeremy Stoppelman, believes that Google should be forced to spin off services that have benefited unfairly from its search monopoly. He argues that this would be a simple and enforceable way to prevent Google from engaging in anticompetitive behavior in the future. Stoppelman also suggests that the court should stop Google from making exclusive default search deals and from favoring its own content in search results.
Other experts and groups that have been advocating for enforcement against Google have their own ideas. For example, Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next, believes that forcing Google to separate its Chrome and Android businesses could help create more competition. Kint argues that the data from these platforms strengthens Google’s search engine, making it even more powerful. A senior legal counsel at the American Economic Liberties Project, Lee Hepner, agrees, saying that separating these businesses could open up more opportunities for alternative search engines.
Whatever remedies are decided, it’s likely to be a long process. Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, has already confirmed that the company plans to appeal the ruling. He said the decision “recognizes that Google offers the best search engine, but concludes that we shouldn’t be allowed to make it easily available.”
Adding to the complexity, artificial intelligence (AI) looms over the case. AI could change the entire search market, making any current remedies less effective in the future. Some experts suggest that the court might need to consider forcing Google to open access to its large language model (LLM), which could be crucial as AI continues to evolve.
Jonathan Kanter, the Department of Justice’s antitrust chief, hasn’t said exactly what remedies the department will seek. However, he has emphasized the need for “forward-looking” solutions, particularly concerning AI. He also mentioned that the department would pursue structural remedies, like breaking up companies, whenever possible.
Stoppelman believes that Judge Mehta’s decision could be as impactful as the landmark Microsoft antitrust case over two decades ago. That ruling led to a period of significant innovation, allowing startups like Google to thrive. Stoppelman is hopeful that the same could happen again, leading to new technologies and innovations in the years to come.
In the end, the remedies the court decides will shape the future of the tech industry. Google’s rivals are ready to fight for a fairer market, but they know that it will take strong, carefully crafted measures to ensure lasting change.
