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Google Appeals DOJ Antitrust Ruling, Defends $20 B Apple Deal

5/24/2026

50 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Google Appeals Antitrust

Google appealed on May 22, 2026 to overturn the DOJ’s finding that it monopolized search.
The appeal says Judge Amit Mehta erred in his August 2024 ruling and calls the $20 billion Apple deal fair.
Google says Bing was inferior, AI firms like OpenAI lack engine, and seeks to reverse the September 2025 data-sharing order while no hearing date is set and the case may resume in late 2026 or 2027.

Summary

Google Appeal Filed

Alphabet’s shares fell after the appeal was filed, with Class A down 1.21% and Class C down 1.07%.
Judge Mehta’s order would have forced Google to share search data with rivals, a step that could aid AI developer OpenAI.
Department of Justice (DOJ) will file its response to Google’s appeal in July.
Analysts warn the case’s resolution could reshape competition in search and AI services that rely on data sets.

Summary

Mehta Decides Remedies

Judge Amit P. Mehta will decide this year on remedies for the 2023 ad-tech monopoly case.
Google calls the district court’s antitrust finding an error and says its conduct was lawful.
Remedies could force Google to share search data with rivals such as Bing and ChatGPT.
Experts call the 2024 ruling the first antitrust judgment, while Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuits show a coordinated strategy to curb Google’s market power.

History

Historical Context

Beginning with the 1998 United States v. Microsoft antitrust trial—where the Justice Department and 19 states accused Microsoft of monopolizing Windows and Internet Explorer—the case led to a 2001 settlement requiring API sharing. Decades later, the 2024 DOJ order compelling Google to consider sharing search data with rivals echoes that precedent, signaling renewed regulatory focus on data openness in digital markets.

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Google Appeals Antitrust

Google appealed on May 22, 2026 to overturn the DOJ’s finding that it monopolized search.
The appeal says Judge Amit Mehta erred in his August 2024 ruling and calls the $20 billion Apple deal fair.
Google says Bing was inferior, AI firms like OpenAI lack engine, and seeks to reverse the September 2025 data-sharing order while no hearing date is set and the case may resume in late 2026 or 2027.

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