Tennessee AG Announces Coalition of State Attorneys General, DOJ Submit Final Proposed Fix to End Google's Search Monopoly

NASHVILLE — A coalition of 38 State Attorneys General and the Justice Department today proposed a final package of remedies to end Google’s illegal monopoly over internet search engines and restore competition to the benefit of consumers nationwide. The revised Proposed Final Judgment sticks closely to what the States and the Justice Department offered in November in an initial filing with the D.C. federal district court judge who last year ruled in a landmark decision that Google is a monopolist in online search. 

The States coalition, led by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, has worked closely with the Justice Department to offer what the enforcers believe is a comprehensive and legally sound proposal that promises to tear down barriers to entry and invite renewed innovation and consumer benefits in the monopolized markets.

“We proved Google violated antitrust law in an epic federal trial,” said Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti.  “Now it’s time to solve the problem. Today’s proposed final remedies package holds Google accountable for its search monopoly and protects consumers by promoting competition.”

The package of remedies continues to propose a ban on all search-related payments to distribution partners, including Apple and Android partners. Google would also be required to divest Chrome, with the possible divestiture of Android if the initial set of remedies prove less effective than anticipated or if Google fails to comply with the decree. The Government Plaintiffs would further be entitled to preliminarily review Google’s future financial interests in online search and generative AI competitors for a limited period of time to ensure Google cannot use the same monopolistic playbook with new technologies.

Finally, the decree would deny Google of its continuing exclusive control of ill-gotten gains by requiring the company to share targeted portions of its search index, user, and ads data with its competitors for a limited period of time. The revised proposal takes a more refined approach to the sharing of these types of data, accounting for important privacy considerations.

A hearing on the proposed remedies is currently scheduled to begin on April 21st and conclude by May 9th.

You can read the Revised Proposed Final Judgment of remedies here.

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