Google Expresses Strong Opposition to US DoJ Lawsuit, Submits Remedies Proposal
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Washington, Dec 23 (NationPress) In a move to contest the US Department of Justice (DoJ) lawsuit and its “overbroad proposal”, Google declared on Monday that it has presented its own remedies proposal before appealing in court. This proposal is based on the actual findings highlighted in the court's ruling.
Lee-Anne Mulholland, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Google, emphasized that the company “strongly disagrees with and will appeal the decision in the DoJ search distribution lawsuit.” She noted that the filing of the remedies proposal “was a decision about our search distribution contracts, so our proposed remedies are directed to that.”
In its proposed remedies, Google asserted that browser companies such as Apple and Mozilla should retain the autonomy to forge partnerships with any search engine they deem most beneficial for their users.
“The Court acknowledged that browser companies ‘occasionally assess Google’s search quality relative to its rivals and find Google’s to be superior.' For firms like Mozilla, these agreements generate crucial revenue,” Mulholland stated in a blog post from the company.
“Our proposal permits browsers to keep offering Google Search to their users and benefit financially from that collaboration. Additionally, it grants them extra flexibility: It would enable multiple default agreements across various platforms (for instance, different default search engines for iPhones and iPads) and browsing modes, along with the option to switch their default search provider at least once every 12 months (the court’s decision specifically recognized a 12-month agreement as “presumed reasonable” under antitrust law),” the company elaborated.
Regarding Android contracts, the proposal provides device manufacturers with increased flexibility in preloading several search engines and preloading any Google application independently of preloading Search or Chrome.
“This will again offer our partners added flexibility and give competitors like Microsoft more opportunities to compete for placement,” the tech giant remarked.
The company further clarified that its proposal encompasses a solid mechanism to ensure “we comply with the Court’s order without granting the government excessive authority over the design of your online experience.”
Google acknowledged that it does not propose these changes lightly.
“These adjustments would impose costs on our partners by regulating how they choose the best search engine for their customers. Furthermore, they would create burdensome restrictions and oversight over contracts that have lowered device prices and fostered innovation in competing browsers, both of which have benefited consumers,” the company articulated.
In October, the US DoJ and attorneys general (AGs) from each US state, along with the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico, filed a proposed remedy framework in the federal antitrust lawsuit against Google. The majority of the DoJ’s suggested remedial framework targets Google’s impact on the search distribution market and revenue sharing.
According to Google, the more significant issue is that the DoJ’s proposal would adversely affect American consumers and jeopardize America’s global technology leadership at a crucial moment, “such as by requiring us to share people’s private search queries with foreign and domestic rivals, and restricting our ability to innovate and enhance our products.”
