The US government has taken further action to recommend breaking up internet giant Google and stripping it of its influential Chrome browser, as it aims to address what it says is a monopoly the company has over the powerful technology sector.
It could also be the biggest challenge to a technology bellwether since Washington tried to take down Microsoft in 1998, coincidentally for also allegedly monopolising its control of the web with its Internet Explorer. It also draws parallels with similar legal battles against Facebook parent Meta Platforms and iPhone-maker Apple.
Late on Wednesday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) proposed dismantling Alphabet-owned Google in a lengthy and incendiary 23-page document to the US District Court in the District of Columbia. It appears the DOJ is prepared to intensify its fight against the California-based company after a long, drawn-out four-year legal battle.
How influential is Chrome?
Launched in 2008, Chrome redefined web browsing with a refreshed experience and a “cool” factor. Its entry into the market provided an attractive alternative to the dominance of Internet Explorer, which was plagued by security issues.
Chrome is the world's biggest web browser in terms of market share, commanding nearly two thirds as of October, data from industry tracker Statcounter shows. It peaked at 72.38 per cent in November 2018.
Apple's Safari is a very distant second with more than 18 per cent, followed by Microsoft Edge, the successor of Internet Explorer, with about 5.3 per cent.
Chrome is built into Android devices and, in almost all of them, is the default browser. That is a very wide reach: while estimates vary, the general consensus is that the number of active Android devices worldwide are at least 3.3 billion. It is also a key and unifying component in Google's tech ecosystem.
And that's not even counting users on desktops, tablets and other devices. That includes users of Apple's iOS, which “only” has about 1.4 billion globally.
With its premium on web security, and compatibility to plug-ins and extensions, Chrome rapidly became popular and widely the browser of choice; how many times have you encountered the message, “best works with Google Chrome?”
DOJ's allegations
The Justice Department has levied allegations against Google and they are completely unflattering, if not direct to the point.
According to the filing, “Google has unlawfully maintained its monopolies in general search services and search text advertising through a web of anticompetitive practices”. And that was just the opening salvo.
It added that Google's manipulation and control of Chrome and Android allows the company to benefit only itself, “while sharing monopoly profits under conditions to induce third parties across the ecosystem to help Google maintain its monopolies”.
Google’s “exclusionary conduct” has, among other things, basically funnelled users to itself; in particular, Google Search, the company's most powerful tool, has ensured that “virtually all search access points route users’ valuable queries and interaction data” to the company.
That “unlawful” behaviour from Google has “deprived rivals not only of critical distribution channels but also distribution partners who could otherwise enable entry into these markets by competitors in new and innovative ways” – resulting in “significant” anticompetitive effects, preventing rivals from growing and innovating.
DOJ's recommendations
Building on its case to break Google up and either sell or divest its interest in Chrome, the DOJ, in its “proposed final judgment”, detailed a number of sweeping recommendations – foremost of which is halting Google's exclusionary agreements with third parties and preventing Google from “self-preferencing through its ownership and control of search-related products”.
It also wants to stop Google from acquiring, investing in or partnering with other companies that is “stifling or eliminating emerging competitive threats”, in addition to having the company disclose data critical to restoring competition, increase transparency and control for advertisers, and end its “unlawful” distribution.
Enacting these measures will, the DOJ argues, restore competition to the markets. Any “remedy” to the situation must “enable and encourage the development of an unfettered search ecosystem that induces entry, competition and innovation”, and to help businesses win more consumers and advertisers – especially, it noted, with the current boom in artificial intelligence.
Is anyone defending Google?
Google has yet to formally respond to the filing, though it has maintained previously that the DOJ is somewhat overreaching with its recommendations when it comes to these circumstances.
Some analysts, however, have come to Google's defence, arguing that dismantling Google would do more harm than good, which may defeat the purpose of the proposed legal actions.
“Mandating a break-up that would require Google to sell off key elements of its integrated platform … would destroy key integrative efficiencies and reduce welfare,” said Alden Abbott, a former general counsel for the US Federal Trade Commission and a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Centre, a research arm of Virginia's George Mason University.
“As such, I view it as highly unlikely that Judge Mehta would endorse such a harmful 'remedy'. Rather, it is far more likely that the judge would endorse a behavioural non-structural remedy, such as the rewriting of key Google contracts.”
Neil Chilson, a former FTC chief technologist and currently head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute, implies that the DOJ may be going too far, terming its initial proposals as “fantastical and now they're merely unbelievable”.
“Not only would selling Chrome not really address the issues the court found liability for, it would risk the degradation of one of the most useful and commonly used pieces of free software,” he added.
What will Trump do?
The case may also present a conundrum for incoming US president Donald Trump, who in the past has accused Google of promoting bias against conservative information. However, he has also signalled that dismantling the company might be too much of an ask from the government.
Regulators under the administration of President Joe Biden have sought to make Google answer for their practices, especially after it was ruled in August by US District Judge Amit Mehta that the company was a monopolist.
Mr Trump's government will inherit the case, and while it is unclear how much his regulators will pursue it, actions may potentially be not as harsh as it is right now, given Mr Trump's tech-friendliness. However, his pick for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, has long called for the break-up of tech giants.
The hearings on Google's punishment are slated to start in April, with Mr Mehta expected to rule before US Labour Day. Google is expected to appeal any ruling not in its favour, which would further drag legal saga.
“In any event, president-elect Trump has been quoted recently as opposing a break-up of Google. If the outgoing Biden DOJ insists on recommending a break-up of Google, I view it as likely that the new Trump DOJ would confess error and withdraw the break-up recommendation,” Mr Abbott said.
Company%20Profile
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450
Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000
Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
WITHIN%20SAND
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pakistan Test squad
Azhar Ali (capt), Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah, Usman Shinwari
Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
GOODBYE%20JULIA
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RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
