Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Google is mulling over its response to proposed remedies from Justice Department lawyers after a federal judge found the company liable for violating antitrust law to maintain a monopoly in search.
The big picture: Google says the government's proposals would not only hurt customers and partners that rely on its services, but be hugely detrimental to tech innovation in general.
Driving the news: Some of what the DOJ lawyers are considering include "behavioral and structural remedies" to prevent Google from using its products to advantage Google search and related products and features over rivals or new entrants in the field.
What they're saying: Google representatives told reporters in a Thursday call that such proposals would be unprecedented in a case regarding contracts between companies.
- Google sees changes to how it structures its contracts with other entities like Apple, Android and Mozilla as more doable than some of what the DOJ is floating.
- The company said some of DOJ's proposed remedies would pose serious problems for how other entities use Android software and code from Google Chrome, and that the case prevents the DOJ from involving other companies directly in its remedies.
- Google is also concerned about what the proposed remedies would mean for competition in AI, especially with countries like China.
What's next: The DOJ has until Nov. 20 to submit final proposed remedies.
- A month later, Google will submit its own ideas for remedies.
- Google said it plans to appeal the finding of liability entirely, but due to how these court proceedings work that won't happen until the remedies phase of the case is over. That could take until next summer.
