Judge sets deadline for US regulators to propose penalties for Google’s unlawful control over search market

In a recent development, a federal judge has set a deadline for the U.S. Justice Department to outline the penalties Google should face for illegally monopolizing the internet search market. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta set this deadline during a court hearing following his ruling last month, which labeled Google as a ruthless monopolist. The ruling has prompted a new phase in the legal process to determine appropriate penalties for Google’s years of misconduct and to enforce changes to prevent future abuses by the dominant search engine.

Both the Justice Department and Google failed to reach an agreement on the timeline for the penalty phase leading up to the recent hearing in Washington D.C. As a result, Judge Mehta suggested a timeline that would ideally result in a decision on the punishment before Labor Day next year. Accordingly, Mehta expressed his preference for holding the trial in the penalty phase during March and April as those months seem suitable on his court calendar.

If the proposed timeline unfolds as planned, a ruling on Google’s antitrust penalties would be issued almost five years after the Justice Department initiated the lawsuit, which led to a 10-week antitrust trial last autumn. The Justice Department has not yet hinted at the severity of the penalties Google might face. Potential targets could include Google’s longstanding deals with companies like Apple and Samsung, where Google’s search engine is the default option on smartphones and web browsers.

To address these issues, the Justice Department could potentially push for remedies that involve Google surrendering aspects of its business, such as the Chrome web browser and Android software. During the recent hearing, Justice Department lawyers highlighted the need for ample time to formulate a comprehensive proposal, considering Google’s integration of artificial intelligence in its search results and its potential market impact.

In response, Google’s legal team expressed hope that the Justice Department would propose realistic penalties that specifically address the concerns outlined in the judge’s ruling, rather than extreme measures that could be seen as political grandstanding. Judge Mehta gave both parties until September 13 to submit a proposed timeline, requiring the Justice Department to disclose its suggested punishment before the end of the year.