In a landmark ruling in Washington, Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google unlawfully exploited its dominant position in the Internet search market to strengthen its position and foster innovation, a development that could reshape the digital landscape while also crippling one of the world’s most recognizable companies.
The ruling follows a broad legal case launched by the U.S. Department of Justice against Google nearly a year ago. The evidence was carefully examined over the course of a 10-week trial that included detailed testimony from senior executives at Google, Microsoft, and Apple. Three months after final presentations based on the Mayonnaise Principles, Judge Mehta issued his verdict.
In his full 277-page ruling, Judge Mehta said, “After a meticulous evaluation of the testimony and evidence presented, it is clear that Google not only holds a monopolistic position, but has also actively engaged in practices to maintain that dominance.” He noted that Google’s control of the search market was evident, with an 89.2 percent dominance rising to 94.9 percent in mobile.
The ruling represents a significant setback for Google and its parent, Alphabet Inc., which have long maintained that their dominance is simply a reflection of consumer preference for their superior search capabilities. Google’s search engine handles an average of 8.5 billion queries a day worldwide, a figure that is up significantly from 12 years ago, investment firm BOND reported.
In response to the court’s decision, Kent Walker, Google’s global legal counsel chairman, said the company will carefully examine Judge Mehta’s findings. Walker acknowledged the court’s recognition of Google’s search engine excellence, but noted the implications of the ruling that it limits its freedom to operate.
