Washington: A U.S. judge has ruled that Google, the tech giant, spent billions of dollars to establish an illegal monopoly in the search engine market.
According to foreign media, this decision has been hailed as historic, as it is said that Google violated antitrust laws. The case was filed against Google in 2020, accusing it of unlawfully maintaining a monopoly.
While the fines or other penalties Google may face are still to be determined, the judgment could have far-reaching consequences on the operations of major tech companies. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, in his 277-page ruling, wrote that Google violated antitrust laws by maintaining a monopoly in online search.
The ruling emphasized that Google spent billions annually to ensure that its search engine was set as the default on new mobile phones and electronic devices.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland termed the decision as a “historic victory” for the American public, stressing that no company, no matter how big or influential, is above the law.
Google’s global affairs president, Kent Walker, announced that the company plans to appeal the decision.
