DOJ and states appeal Google monopoly ruling to push for harsher penalties against the company

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a notice to cross-appeal a ruling regarding Google's monopoly status, specifically concerning the remedies imposed by Judge Amit Mehta in a case against the company. The DOJ's Antitrust Division announced this action on X, stating that it aims to challenge the decision that did not require Google to divest its Chrome browser. Alongside the DOJ, a group of states is also participating in the appeal, seeking harsher penalties against Google for its alleged monopolization of internet search and search advertising. In the original ruling from 2025, Judge Mehta denied the DOJ's request for Google to sell off its Chrome browser, stating that the plaintiffs had "overreached" in their demands. He noted that Google did not use its assets to effect any illegal restraints. However, the judge did impose other restrictions on Google's business practices. These included an end to exclusive agreements for distributing certain services and a requirement for Google to share specific search data with its competitors. In a related development, Google has also filed a notice to appeal the remedies ordered by Judge Mehta and has requested a pause on these remedies. The remedies include the requirement for Google to share search data with rivals and the prohibition of exclusive distribution deals, which are part of the ongoing legal scrutiny of the company's business practices.