US judge rules Google's online search monopoly is illegal

ISTANBUL

A US judge on Monday ruled Google engaged in illegal practices to eliminate its competitors and uphold a monopoly on online search and related advertising.

Judge Amit Mehta said Google breached Section 2 of the Sherman Act, a US antitrust statute.

"After having carefully considered and weighed the witness testimony and evidence, the court reaches the following conclusion: Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly," the judge wrote in 277-page opinion.

The ruling is one of the most significant antitrust decisions in decades, concluding a case that saw the US Department of Justice take on one of the world's most valuable corporations.

In 2020, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Google for its dominance over roughly 90% of the online search market.

It is one of multiple lawsuits brought against major tech companies as US antitrust regulators seek to enhance competition within the industry.