US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. Instead of breaking up the company, he ordered Google to share its search index and user click-and-query data with competitors. This is aimed at helping smaller companies develop competing search engines without the cost of building databases from scratch.
However, sharing behavioral data has raised privacy concerns among advocates. Google has expressed concerns about the risks of sharing sensitive search queries. A technical oversight committee will determine which companies qualify for access, what safeguards are needed, and how data will be distributed. This committee will operate for six years and include representatives from the Department of Justice, Google, and independent experts.
One proposed safeguard is to restrict access to certain queries to protect user privacy. The Justice Department argues that Google’s exclusive agreements shut out rivals and reinforced its monopolistic advantage. The ruling’s implementation timeline is uncertain as it could be delayed by appeals.
The current focus of the debate is on how the oversight process will unfold and whether privacy concerns can be effectively managed. This ruling sets up a rare test of antitrust enforcement in the digital economy and raises questions about the security of personal data.
