Judge gives US regulators until December to propose penalties for Google’s search monopoly

The Justice Department has not yet said exactly what penalties they will seek.

The tech giant further said that it is piloting a new feature aimed at combating digital arrest scams. (AP photo)

A federal judge has told the US Justice Department they have until December to suggest penalties for Google’s illegal monopoly in the search market. US District Judge Amit Mehta wants regulators to outline potential punishments, with a court hearing on the penalties expected next spring.

This follows Mehta’s recent ruling, where he called Google a “ruthless monopolist.” The ruling has set off a new phase in the case to decide how to punish Google and prevent future issues.

Mehta hopes to hold the penalty trial in March or April, aiming to reach a decision by Labor Day next year. This timeline mirrors the one Microsoft faced in the late 1990s for similar issues.

The Justice Department has not yet said exactly what penalties they will seek. Likely targets include Google’s deals with major tech companies like Apple and Samsung, which make Google’s search engine the default on many devices. Google pays over $25 billion a year for these deals, with a large portion going to Apple.

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In a more extreme scenario, the department could ask Google to give up parts of its business, like the Chrome browser or Android system, which also boost search traffic.

At Friday’s hearing, Justice Department lawyers asked for enough time to come up with a detailed proposal, taking into account Google’s use of artificial intelligence in search results. Google’s lawyers hope for reasonable penalties rather than extreme measures they see as “political grandstanding.”

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Mehta has asked both sides to file a proposed timeline by September 13, making sure the Justice Department’s penalty proposal is ready by the end of 2024.

(With inputs from AP)