U.S. Justice Department Formally Requests Google Divestiture of Chrome Browser

The U.S. Department of Justice has officially asked a federal judge to compel Alphabet-owned Google to sell its Chrome web browser, marking a significant escalation in the government’s landmark antitrust case. The request follows a ruling in August that found Google maintains an illegal monopoly in the search market. Prosecutors argue that separating Chrome is necessary to prevent Google from using the world’s most popular browser to unfairly promote its own search engine and emerging artificial intelligence tools. Google has criticized the proposal as 'radical overreach,' asserting that such a move would harm consumers, compromise user privacy, and stifle innovation. Legal analysts suggest that while the filing represents a major step toward structural changes in the tech industry, a final resolution is likely years away due to the anticipated appeals process.