Washington: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has expressed support for the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposal requiring Google to share search data with its competitors, stating that the plan incorporates sufficient privacy protections for users.
This development comes as part of a broader antitrust case where the DOJ argues that Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL.O), maintains an illegal monopoly in the online search market. The proposal to force data sharing is one of several remedies the DOJ is pushing to foster competition and dismantle Google’s dominance.
A Washington judge, overseeing the high-profile trial, has received a surge of opinions from experts, interest groups, and industry stakeholders both supporting and opposing the DOJ’s suggested measures. The case, which is set to conclude this month, could dramatically alter the digital landscape, potentially disrupting Google’s position as the default gateway to online information.
The FTC, which serves as the U.S.’s de facto privacy watchdog, stated that encouraging competition in the search space would also compel Google to enhance its privacy practices.
Google has resisted the DOJ’s data-sharing requirement, with CEO Sundar Pichai warning it would compromise the company’s intellectual property and endanger user privacy. However, the FTC countered this claim, noting that the proposal includes the formation of an oversight committee, a mechanism similar to those used in past FTC privacy-related settlements.
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Beyond data-sharing, the DOJ and a coalition of state attorneys general have urged the court to impose additional structural remedies, including compelling Google to divest its Chrome browser and to stop making multi-billion dollar payments to Apple (AAPL.O) and other companies to secure Google’s default search engine status on devices.
In response, Google maintains that it has already begun making its agreements non-exclusive, suggesting this approach strikes a better balance between competition and user choice.
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Amid growing concerns that Google’s influence could extend into artificial intelligence, the DOJ is also exploring whether to require advance notification of the company’s future AI investments and partnerships. This proposal has drawn criticism from AI startup Anthropic, a Google-backed company, which argued in court filings that such a mandate would act as a “significant disincentive” for Google to fund smaller AI ventures and could chill innovation.
Google, which holds a multi-billion dollar minority stake in Anthropic, faces increasing scrutiny over its role in shaping the future of AI. Anthropic contends that the DOJ’s proposed restrictions “would harm, not benefit, AI competition.”
