Will Google’s Monopoly Be Vanquished?

Judge Amit Mehta delivered a landmark decision finding that Google holds an illegal monopoly over the search market, in violation of the Sherman Act .

The decision affirms that the movement to rein in corporate concentration in the tech sector and across the economy has legs to stand on in court.

Google has already appealed the decision.

Judge Mehta ruled that Google has no genuine competition for the default position on computers and iPhones .

The default status delivered Google superior traffic numbers and thus massive troves of data to achieve a scale advantage over rivals, ultimately refining its search quality.

The ruling could in fact put numerous generative AI companies, which are seeking their own type of exclusive arrangements with the dominant tech hardware manufacturers, in jeopardy.

Google still has plenty of tools at its disposal to try to undermine the case and save its own skin.

The main lesson that Silicon Valley took away from the Microsoft case was that Bill Gates didn’t treat the threat of government action seriously.

Google decided it would not make the same mistake and built up one of the most robust influence-peddling operations in Washington .