Google has formally lodged an appeal against a federal court’s decision that declared the search giant guilty of maintaining an illegal monopoly in its core search market. This move by Alphabet’s subsidiary signals a significant legal battle ahead, with the appeal potentially delaying the implementation of any mandated remedies while the complex judicial process unfolds.
The initial ruling, handed down in August 2024 by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, found Google in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act, concluding that the company had indeed monopolized search and its associated advertising revenue. Google’s response at the time indicated a strong likelihood of an appeal, a sentiment reiterated in a recent company blog post by Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.
Mulholland argued that the court’s decision overlooked the fundamental reality of user choice. “The decision ignored the reality that people use Google because they want to, not because they’re forced to,” she stated. Furthermore, she highlighted that the ruling failed to adequately consider the “rapid pace of innovation and intense competition” Google faces from both established tech giants and well-capitalized startups.
The antitrust proceedings, which commenced in September 2023, were followed by a remedies trial last spring. This phase saw testimony from industry players including Apple and Mozilla, alongside competitors such as OpenAI. In September 2025, Judge Mehta issued a decision on the remedies, rejecting some of the more stringent proposals from the Department of Justice, such as a forced divestiture of Google’s Chrome browser. This outcome was viewed favorably by the market, with Google’s stock experiencing an 8% surge post-announcement.
However, the judge did mandate certain actions. In December 2025, Mehta finalized the remedies, requiring Google to share specific raw search interaction data utilized for training its ranking and AI systems, though it stopped short of demanding the company share its proprietary algorithms. Additionally, Google is now prohibited from entering into long-term search agreements akin to its deal with Apple, unless such agreements can be terminated within one year of their inception. These measures were considered by some analysts to be relatively lenient.
Google’s appeal centers on pausing the implementation of these remedies. Mulholland expressed concerns that the mandates could jeopardize user privacy and potentially stifle competition. “These mandates would risk Americans’ privacy and discourage competitors from building their own products,” she wrote, adding that such outcomes could ultimately hinder the innovation that underpins the United States’ leading position in global technology. The appeal process will now determine the future landscape of search market regulation and its impact on Google’s operations and the broader tech industry.
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