Google US antitrust trials: A timeline
Google’s dominance in the search arena has given rise to two major antitrust lawsuits from the US government alleging the company has manipulated the market to maintain that dominance, to the exclusion of competitors and the detriment of the public at large. The first lawsuit, targeting Google’s search business, kicked off in mid-September 2023 and drew to a close in May 2024; US District Judge…
The first Google antitrust lawsuit against the search business concluded in May 2024, with US District Judge Amit Mehta ruling against the company. The remedy phase of the trial ended in September 2025, when Judge Mehta rejected the Department of Justice's (DoJ) request to break up Google. Instead, the judge imposed data-sharing requirements and prohibited the tech giant from paying Apple and other browser makers for default search placement.
The second lawsuit, focused on Google's advertising practices, took place over 15 days in September 2024. US District Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled against Google in April 2025, stating that the company had illegally monopolized the ad tech market. This ruling could potentially lead to the breakup of Google's advertising products or changes to its business practices.
The two lawsuits echo the 2000 Microsoft antitrust case, as Google, like Microsoft before it, has managed to evade forced breakup. The cases have heavily influenced each other throughout the proceedings.
The timeline of events includes the following key dates and decisions:
- September 2, 2026: Google's AdX ad exchange is not required to be sold or opened-source; behavioral remedies are sealed while the parties identify confidential information for redaction.
- September 2, 2025: Judge Mehta rules that Google does not have to divest its Chrome and Android businesses; Google will share search index and user-interaction data with rivals and offer search results syndication.
- April 21, 2025: The remedy phase of Google's search antitrust trial begins; federal prosecutors warn of potential AI usage to strengthen Google's monopoly.
- April 17, 2025: Judge Brinkema rules that Google illegally monopolized the ad tech market; remedies will be imposed at a later date.
- October 8, 2024: The US Department of Justice proposes that Google's Chrome browser and Android operating system be split off; remedies aimed at curbing Google's monopoly are aimed at search and advertising.
- September 20, 2024: The US Department of Justice begins its case in the Google antitrust trial, accusing the company of monopolistic behavior through acquisitions and controlling ad tech tools and exchanges.
- September 9, 2024: The second major case against Google begins, with Google defending itself against claims of illegal behavior to maintain control of the ad tech market.
- August 5, 2024: Judge Mehta rules that Google had engaged in anticompetitive behavior in an effort to protect its search business.
- May 3, 2024: The Department of Justice wraps up its case for Google's monopoly on search advertising; Judge Mehta quizzes both parties about substitutes for Google's search advertising business.
- November 16, 2023: The evidentiary phase of the trial concludes, revealing details about relationships between tech companies, including Apple's potential purchase of Microsoft's Bing search engine.
Written by urgent.news from Computerworld's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.