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Google finds itself embroiled in not one but two Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust trials this year, with the first trial, revolving around Google Search, now reaching its conclusion. Legal teams convened at the district court in Washington, DC, for the initial two days of closing arguments in the bench trial presided over by Judge Amit Mehta.
This landmark lawsuit marks the first tech anti-monopoly case the government has pursued in two decades since US v. Microsoft. The outcome of this trial directly impacts one of the world's most valuable companies. At this juncture, the judge's role is to ascertain whether Google is liable for the antitrust charges leveled against it. Should liability be established, a separate proceeding will ensue to determine appropriate remedies, which could range from court-ordered behavioral constraints to the dramatic measure of breaking up segments of Google's search business.
Thursday's proceedings centered on allegations that Google violated anti-monopoly laws, specifically Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act, through purportedly anti-competitive practices in the general search engine market. The DOJ contends that Google's actions have stifled competition and maintained its monopoly power in this domain. However, it remains for the judge to determine whether Google's conduct indeed contravened antitrust laws and if the company holds a dominant position in the market.
The crux of the government's argument lies in asserting that Google leveraged its dominance to exclude rivals and perpetuate its monopoly status. The DOJ alleges that Google's contractual agreements with phone manufacturers and browser companies, granting default search engine status, effectively deter competitors from entering the market, perpetuating a cycle that impedes competition and innovation.
Judge Mehta's probing during the trial reflected his scrutiny of both the government's assertions and Google's defenses. While he appeared to align with the government's characterization of the relevant market as general search engines, he grappled with distinguishing between reasonable business decisions and anti-competitive practices in Google's conduct.
The specter of Neeva, a rival search engine, loomed large during the proceedings, prompting discussions on barriers to entry and business trade-offs in the search market. The judge questioned whether Neeva's entry indicated manageable barriers to market entry, challenging the government's assertions of insurmountable hurdles.
Additionally, Judge Mehta scrutinized Google's multi-billion-dollar agreements with Apple, highlighting concerns over the monopolistic implications of such arrangements. The trial's closing arguments, set for Friday, promise to shed further light on this high-stakes legal battle that could reshape the tech landscape.
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| Judge Mehta scrutinized Google's multi-billion-dollar agreements with Apple |