US Considers a Rare Antitrust Move: Breaking Up Google

It would be nice if the Library of Congress got a piece of the Internet search action. It’s a natural extension of their archival charter, and I’m guessing there would be less SEO nonsense junking up searches under LoC. Even if there was a month delay on content searches for political/competitive reasons, I’d use it when I just wanted a trustworthy answer to an issue of fact.

I want Apple to be broken up.

For end users, I wonder what the most optimal outcome would be?

Perhaps breaking out just the search business into its own company, then having it classed as a utility and be treated as such?

ie its not allowed to screw with the results, can't inject ads into results, etc.

The truly-ad free search experience. :)

Requiring Chrome and the search widget to be uninstallable on Android in exchange for access to the GMail app is definitely a step too far, straight out of Microsoft's playbook.

At least Android allows sideloading apps though. We know that privacy permissions can be done correctly at the OS/Api level, even web browsers do it. It's crazy that Apple can be complicit in enabling Google's search monopoly and face no repercussions for it's app distribution monopoly.

The DOJ does not have a great record of late with these sorts of cases. This one isn't that strong and it's a coin toss if it will survive an appeal.

This is a pretty harsh sanction for this case, even more so in the light of the current landscape.

If you break google up into 3-4 companies and they all leave with a copy of consumer data... you will have traded in a snake for a hydra. No one at the DOJ is smart enough to avoid this outcome...

"Don't be Evil" has devolved into "Ok, We're Evil! What did you expect?".