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Judge Lets Google Keep Chrome, Bars Exclusive Search Deals

By  |  September 2, 2025

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Google can continue offering its Chrome browser but will face restrictions on certain business practices, according to CNBC. The decision, issued by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, rejected the Justice Department’s most aggressive request that Google be forced to divest its popular browser or part of its Android operating system. Following the ruling, shares of parent company Alphabet jumped 6% in after-hours trading.

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    The court found that while Google has engaged in anticompetitive behavior, forced sell-offs of major assets were not justified. “Google will not be required to divest Chrome; nor will the court include a contingent divestiture of the Android operating system in the final judgment,” the decision stated. Judge Mehta noted that government attorneys had gone too far in pushing for divestiture, per CNBC.

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    Instead, the ruling focused on limiting the exclusivity of Google’s agreements. The company will be allowed to make payments to partners to promote its products, but it cannot lock those arrangements into exclusive contracts. According to CNBC, the Department of Justice had pushed the court to stop Google from using “compelled syndication,” a practice that ensured its search engine remained the default on browsers and smartphones.

    Read more: Judge’s Ruling Could Shake Up Google and Apple’s $26 Billion Search Pact

    One example highlighted in the case was Google’s multibillion-dollar annual payments to Apple in exchange for default placement on iPhones. The court allowed such payments to continue but emphasized that they could not be tied to exclusivity. The decision warned that halting all payments would cause significant disruption to Apple and other distribution partners, potentially harming consumers as well.

    The legal battle stems from a landmark case filed in 2020 in which the Justice Department accused Google of using its dominant market position to create barriers that stifled competition. In August 2024, the District Court for the District of Columbia concluded that Google had violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act by illegally maintaining a monopoly in general search. Judge Mehta presided over a remedies trial in May, during which the DOJ argued Google should be forced to share valuable data such as user click information that supports its search results.

    While the ruling curtails Google’s ability to enforce exclusivity in its contracts, the company indicated it plans to appeal, a move that could delay the enforcement of penalties.

    Source: CNBC