Google loses antitrust case; US Court finds illegal monopoly in Google's search advertising

The ruling paves the way for a second trial to explore remedies, potentially including breaking up Alphabet, Google's parent company.

A U.S. judge ruled on Monday that Google violated antitrust laws by spending billions to establish an illegal monopoly as the world's default search engine, as reported by Economic Times.

The ruling clears the path for a second trial to determine potential remedies, which could include the breakup of Google's parent company, Alphabet, potentially reshaping the online advertising industry that Google has dominated for years. It also signals a go-ahead for aggressive U.S. antitrust enforcers targeting Big Tech, a sector facing scrutiny from both sides of the political aisle.

The "remedy" phase could be lengthy, potentially followed by appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. This legal battle could extend well into next year, or even 2026.

"The court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly," wrote U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C. Google controls roughly 90% of the online search market and 95% on smartphones.

Filed in 2020, the Google search case marks the first time in a generation that the U.S. government accused a major corporation of maintaining an illegal monopoly.