Google warns of national security risks from US antitrust split plans

Alphabet's Google recently appealed to the administration of President Donald Trump, urging the government to abandon plans to break up the tech giant.

This request came in light of ongoing antitrust lawsuits filed by the US Department of Justice, which are seeking to impose significant changes on the company’s operations.

According to Reuters, Google raised concerns during a meeting with officials, stating that a forced division of the company could pose a threat to US national security, per Caliber.Az.

The company’s executives argued that breaking up its operations, which include its search engine and advertising technologies, could have broader negative effects, potentially compromising the security of the nation.

At present, the US Department of Justice is pursuing two major antitrust cases against Google. One case involves the company’s search engine operations, while the other focuses on its advertising technologies. As part of the search engine case, the department is considering various potential remedies, including the possibility of separating assets like Google’s Chrome web browser and terminating its agreements that make Google the default search engine on devices such as Apple’s iPhone.

A Google spokesperson addressed these developments in a statement to Reuters, saying, “We regularly meet with regulators, including the Department of Justice, to discuss this case. As we have publicly stated, we are concerned that the current proposals will harm the US economy and national security.”

The legal battle over the appropriate measures to address the concerns in the search engine case is expected to have a court hearing in April, with a final ruling anticipated by August.

In the meantime, industry experts speculate that President Trump may take a softer approach on antitrust actions compared to the policies pursued by former President Joe Biden’s administration. This includes the potential softening of efforts to break up Google, particularly due to its dominance in online search. However, Google's concerns about national security could influence the Trump administration's position, potentially leading to a reconsideration of the proposed breakup.

By Tamilla Hasanova