In a major escalation of its antitrust case against Google, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, November 20, urged a federal judge to break up the tech giant by mandating the sale of its popular Chrome browser.

The DOJ also called for an end to Google’s default search engine agreements on smartphones and proposed measures to prevent the company from using its Android operating system to maintain market dominance.

The DOJ suggested that if these actions do not suffice, Google should be required to divest Android entirely. These proposals represent one of the most aggressive antitrust actions in decades, with regulators seeking to curb what they view as Google’s abuse of its market power.

Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, condemned the filing, accusing the DOJ of pushing a “radical interventionist agenda.” Walker argued that the proposed breakup would disrupt Google’s ecosystem, hinder AI innovation, and undermine America’s global technological leadership.

This case marks a significant shift in the US government’s approach to regulating tech companies, following years of relative inaction since the failed attempt to break up Microsoft in the early 2000s.

Google is expected to file a response next month, with a hearing scheduled for April before Judge Amit Mehta. In August, the judge ruled that Google is a monopoly, setting the stage for this next phase in the legal battle. Any decision made is likely to be appealed, potentially taking years to resolve and possibly reaching the US Supreme Court.

The case’s outcome could also be influenced by political changes, as President-elect Donald Trump’s administration may take a different stance on antitrust enforcement. While Trump has criticized Google for alleged bias against conservatives, he has also expressed doubts about breaking up major tech firms.

The DOJ’s proposals come amid a broader effort to address the dominance of big tech, with five ongoing antitrust cases involving Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Google. These cases, initiated under the Biden administration, are expected to significantly influence the regulatory landscape in the years ahead.