Google Appeals Ruling on Search Monopoly Allegations

Google has filed an appeal to reverse a federal court ruling that the company illegally monopolized search services. The case began in 2020 when the Department of Justice and a coalition of states accused Google of violating anti-monopoly laws.

U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta ruled against Google in August 2024, finding that the company unlawfully maintained a monopoly in two markets: general search services and search text ads.

Mehta also issued a remedies order in September 2025, requiring Google to share data about users' searches with qualified competitors and provide syndicated search results and ads. However, he rejected a request to bar Google from making payments to Apple and other companies that distribute Google's search engine.

Google argues that the case should have been dismissed and that even if the company did violate antitrust law, there is no reason to ban payments to distributors.