Matthew Widdop
Matty is a Digital SEO Executive at Intelligency, helping our clients to improve their digital performance. Matty is currently studying for his Level 3 Multi-Channel Marketer apprenticeship and has completed a Sport Journalism Degree at the University of Huddersfield.
US District Judge Amit Mehta has announced a verdict in the longstanding antitrust case brought against Google. Mehat ruled that Google must end its use of exclusive contracts, such as its deal with Apple to monopolise search on iPhones, however Google will be able to keep Chrome.
Why was Google on Trial
Google has been fighting the Department of Justice since 2020 when charges were initially brought against them for monopolising the search market. The first trial in 2024 saw Amit Mehta rule that Google violated antitrust laws by monopolising search after they paid Apple $20 billion in 2023 to remain the default search engine on Safari. You can read more about this in the article I wrote at the time.
After the ruling decided that Google was monopolising the search market, the Department of Justice decided on some potential penalties to limit Google’s actions in April 2025. These included selling off Google Chrome, Google’s own browser and ending all exclusive contracts that help Google to monopolise the search industry.
The Latest Verdict
Here is what the Department of Justice had to say in their latest ruling against Google.
“Google will not be required to divest Chrome; nor will the court include a contingent divestiture of the Android operating system in the final judgment. Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divesture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints.”
Google will be barred from entering or maintaining any exclusive contract relating to the distribution of Google Search, Chrome, Google Assistant, and the Gemini app. Google shall not enter or maintain any agreement that
- (1) conditions the licensing of the Play Store or any other Google application on the distribution, preloading, or placement of Google Search, Chrome, Google Assistant, or the Gemini app anywhere on a device;
- (2) conditions the receipt of revenue share payments for the placement of one Google application (e.g., Search, Chrome, Google Assistant, or the Gemini app) on the placement of another such application;
- (3) conditions the receipt of revenue share payments on maintaining Google Search, Chrome, Google Assistant, or the Gemini app on any device, browser, or search access point for more than one year; or
- (4) prohibits any partner from simultaneously distributing any other GSE, browser, or GenAI product search access point for more than one year; or (4) prohibits any partner from simultaneously distributing any other GSE, browser, or GenAI product
- Google will have to make available to Qualified Competitors certain search index and user-interaction data, though not ads data, as such sharing will deny Google the fruits of its exclusionary acts and promote competition.”
- “Google will not be required to share granular, query-level data with advertisers or provide them with more access to such data. Nor will it have to restore an ‘exact match’ keyword bidding option
- “Google will be compelled to publicly disclose material changes it makes to its ad auctions to promote greater transparency in search text ads pricing and to prevent Google from increasing prices by secretly fine-tuning its ad auctions.”
What this means for Marketers
While it is unlikely we will see any changes for a long time as Google are expected to appeal the case, the rulings around banning of exclusivity deals as well as having to share certain data with competitors, will hopefully create a landscape in search that allows for the growth of other search engines over time to rival Google, meaning marketers will need to be vigilant in future when it comes to optimising for multiple search engines, not just Google.
