Chrome’s Escape: How Google’s Browser Dodged a Forced Sale

Google’s Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser, has escaped a court-ordered sale in a landmark antitrust decision. The Department of Justice had argued that forcing Google to divest Chrome was critical to breaking its stranglehold on the internet, but the judge ultimately disagreed, calling the proposal an “overreach.”
The government’s case was that Google used Chrome’s dominance to protect its search monopoly, for instance, by making Google the default search engine within the browser. They argued that only a separate, independent Chrome could create a truly neutral gateway to the web.
However, Judge Amit Mehta was not convinced that the divestiture was necessary. He was heavily influenced by the rise of AI as a new competitive frontier, which he believed lessened the need to dismantle Google’s existing power structure. He also noted that forcing a sale could harm consumers and partners who rely on the browser’s integration with other Google services.
The decision to let Google keep Chrome is a monumental victory for the company. It preserves the powerful synergy between its browser, search engine, and advertising business, a combination that has made it one of the most profitable companies in history.