Google Monopoly Judge's Cautious Findings Hint at Legal Remedies

Antitrust attorneys David Kully and Jennifer Lada co-authored a Bloomberg Law article exploring a recent federal court decision that Google illegally maintains a monopoly in general internet search services and text advertising. Judge Amit Mehta from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found that Google has no true competitor, with a nearly 90 percent share of queries on general search engines, and that the company's use of distribution agreements with Apple and other organizations violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The ruling has been called an important step to rein in monopolies in the U.S. sure to boost the Biden Administration's antitrust enforcement efforts. However, the authors take a more measured approach, saying "the factual record established at trial made the conclusion unsurprising" and pointing out that Mehta did not find Google held a monopoly on all search advertising. This, the attorneys say, indicates a reluctance to take drastic measures like an outright breakup, and they predict the caution Mehta exhibited in coming to this decision will continue when determining remedies.

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