Well, folks, it looks like the Department of Justice (DOJ) just threw down the gauntlet (and Google’s not exactly jumping for joy). 

(Source: CNBC)

In a move that’ll go down in Big Tech history, the DOJ announced in a new court filing that it might recommend breaking up Google as a cure for its supposedly unhealthy dominance in the search engine market. Yep, Washington’s showing its cards, and they’re willing to go full “smash the monopoly” mode to rein in Big Tech.

But Google? Oh, they’re not having it. They fired back in a blog post, calling the DOJ’s proposals “radical” and warning that these “sweeping” changes could hurt consumers, businesses, and developers alike. And here’s the shocking part, despite this looming existential crisis, Google’s stock barely budged, down less than 1%. I guess Wall Street isn’t scared just yet.

This isn’t your average wrist slap. The DOJ is playing for keeps, referencing the infamous Microsoft case from the late ’90s. Remember when Uncle Sam tried to break up Bill Gates’ empire for owning too much of the browser market? That case ended with a settlement, opening the door for more competition (RIP, Netscape), and it looks like Google’s empire is next on the chopping block.

The DOJ’s 32-page court document (because nothing says “we mean business” like 32 pages of legalese) suggests a buffet of possible remedies. We’re talking everything from banning certain contracts to outright divesting Google’s crown jewels like Chrome, Android, and Play. Think about that: no more Google owning every app you use, every search you make, and every ad you see. They’re gunning to dismantle the whole ecosystem that props up Google’s 90% market share in search. Yeah, 90%.

One of the DOJ’s biggest gripes? Google pays $26 billion annually to ensure it’s the default search engine on devices like Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s smartphones. No wonder no one’s even seen Bing outside of a poorly timed click on your grandma’s desktop. The DOJ thinks that’s a little too much power for one company. Their proposed fix? A “choice screen” (remember when you had to choose a browser in Europe? Yeah, that worked well) that would let users pick their search engine of choice. Imagine not defaulting to Google (wild right?).

And it doesn’t stop there. The DOJ’s even thinking about forcing Google to share its precious data (yep, that same data that fine-tunes your search results and powers its AI features) with rivals. Essentially, they want to turn Google into the world's most expensive library, handing out its books for free.

Google’s not sitting quietly in the corner. In their blog post, they went straight for the jugular, claiming that splitting off key assets like Android or Chrome wouldn’t just hurt them—it’d break those products entirely. According to Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s VP of Regulatory Affairs, the DOJ’s suggestions are way off-base and risk wrecking “numerous industries.” Basically, Google thinks the DOJ is trying to play Frankenstein with its business, and the result will be more monster than man.

And sure, Google’s planning to appeal any decision that doesn’t go their way, so this whole saga could drag out for years. The actual trial remedies phase might not even start until 2025. But the fact remains: Washington’s got Big Tech in its crosshairs, and Google just became target #1.

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Stock.News has positions in Google, Apple, and Microsoft.