Google violated antitrust laws to maintain dominance over online search, judge says

Google violated U.S. antitrust laws in maintaining a monopoly over the online search business, a federal judge ruled Monday, in a landmark ruling for the Justice Department in its efforts to rein in big tech giants.

D.C. District judge Amit Mehta declared Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, finding the company illegally secured its dominance in the search market by paying billions of dollars to smartphone carriers like Apple to make Google the automatic search engine for their phones -- effectively locking any rival businesses from being able to compete.

"Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly," Mehta wrote in his ruling.

The ruling followed a 10-week trial in Washington, D.C., last year where Justice Department officials and several dozen state attorneys general sought to put on full display Google's anti-competitive tactics that paved the way for it to become the world's leading search engine.

While Mehta's ruling does not prescribe any specific remedies, he will now have to decide appropriate steps to address Google's monopoly that experts say could include specific orders to the company to address its business practices or, more drastically, force it to sell off parts of the company.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

Google has also not immediately commented, but the company is likely to seek an appeal.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.