Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Jan 18: Google has asked a federal judge to delay an order requiring the company to share its search data with rivals, including ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, as it challenges a 2024 ruling that found the tech giant holds an illegal monopoly in online search.

The case dates back to 2020, during former President Donald Trump’s first term, when the US Justice Department accused Google of using exclusive agreements with Apple, Samsung, and other smartphone makers to maintain dominance in search and text advertising. In August 2024, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that these deals effectively made Google the default choice, giving it an unlawful monopoly.

Following the ruling, Judge Mehta ordered Google to share data with competitors to level the playing field. Google, however, argued in court filings that the order could force it to disclose trade secrets before its appeal is decided. The company said the judge “ignored the reality that people use Google because they want to, not because they’re forced to” and highlighted the intense competition from both established players and startups.

“Although Google believes that these remedies are unwarranted and should never have been imposed, it is prepared to do everything short of turning over its data or providing syndicated results and ads while its appeal is pending,” the company said. Google clarified it is not seeking to postpone other requirements from Judge Mehta’s orders, including user privacy and security safeguards.

The dispute intensified after a second trial in spring 2025, in which Judge Mehta rejected the Justice Department’s request to force the sale of Google’s Chrome browser. While allowing Google to continue paying for its search engine and AI apps to remain default, he mandated that these deals be rebid annually to give rivals more opportunities to compete.

Google’s appeal is now before a federal court, with the company seeking to pause the data-sharing requirement until a final decision is made.