Google is hitting back at the Department of Justice over a proposed plan that could force massive changes to how the company operates. The DOJ, which sued Google back in 2020 over search distribution practices, is now pushing for remedies that Google says go way too far — and could end up hurting American consumers, innovation, and even national security!
In a new blog post, the search giant says the proposed changes are not only unnecessary but also dangerous. At the heart of the issue is how Google partners with phone makers and browsers to make its search engine the default. According to Google, people use its search because they want to — not because they’re forced to. The company says blocking these deals would just make it harder for people to get to the services they prefer, with alternatives like Microsoft’s Bing being pushed on users instead.
Google is also warning of major ripple effects across the tech industry. If it can’t pay partners like Mozilla for search placement, that revenue disappears — which could lead to higher phone prices and possibly hurt smaller browser companies that rely on those funds to survive.
Then there’s privacy. Google claims the DOJ wants it to start handing over search queries to other companies, potentially putting sensitive information in the hands of firms that don’t have the same level of security. It’s a bold accusation, but Google is making it clear: this plan could expose user data and create new privacy risks.
Even artificial intelligence could be impacted. Google says the DOJ’s proposed remedy includes putting a government-appointed committee in charge of how AI is developed — something the company argues would slow progress at a time when the U.S. is in a global race for tech leadership, especially against China.
Perhaps most alarming is the idea of separating Chrome and Android from the rest of the company. Google says that would wreck the very platforms it built and offers for free. Splitting them off would break important security systems, drive up costs, and damage businesses that depend on those platforms to operate. According to Google, that kind of fragmentation could even create risks to national cybersecurity.
The company believes there’s a better path forward — one that focuses only on the actual issue of search distribution without tearing apart products or throwing privacy out the window. Google plans to appeal the court’s ruling, but for now, it’s preparing to show in court why the DOJ’s sweeping changes are the wrong move.
