VOA科学技术2024--US Proposes Measures to Limit Google after Monopoly Ruling

（单词翻译）

 

The United States government has proposed a series of measures to limit Google from anti-competition business activities. The move comes after a federal judge ruled in August Google had violated trade laws by operating its search engine as an illegal monopoly.

The ruling accused Google of paying smartphone makers¹ to ensure that its search engine was set as the default system on new devices. The U.S. Justice Department brought the antitrust case against Google's parent company, Alphabet.

Last week, the Justice Department issued a set of corrective guidelines for Google. Here is a look at the proposed measures as well as the government's case against the American tech giant.

What is the Justice Department's goal?

Justice Department officials say the main goal of the proposals is to get Google to stop using its highly popular search engine to illegally block competition and restrict innovation.

The Department said Google's violations² of U.S. trade law had given the company an unfair advantage in the online search business. It accuses Google of illegally gaining that advantage.

Google has criticized the court's decision. The company's chief legal officer, Kent Walker, also condemned³ the Justice Department's corrective proposals. He called the guidelines "wildly overbroad" in an online statement. He added his opinion that the measures seek to go way beyond the court's ruling.

Walker said the proposals "would break a range of Google products - even beyond search - that people love and find helpful in their everyday lives."

What are some of the Justice Department's proposals?

The Justice Department proposed a series of measures to limit Google from blocking competition from other search engine providers.

The main proposal is a ban on Google from signing deals - worth billions of dollars - to lock its search engine as the default system on Apple's iPhone and other popular devices. This measure could result in reduced profits for companies that sign such deals.

Other proposed measures include a ban on Google from using search results to favor its own services, such as YouTube or its artificial intelligence (AI) tool, Gemini. Another would force Google to license⁴ its search data to competitors.

In addition, the Justice Department is seeking to require Google to be more open about how it sets the prices advertisers must pay to be listed near the top of some targeted search results.

Another proposal would give publishers, websites and content creators the right to request that their data not be included in Google's search results or be used to train the company's AI models.

What comes next in the case?

Google will also have the chance to propose its own list of fixes to the court. After that, federal regulators will create a new version of the proposals in early March. Court hearings on the proposed measures are set to begin in April and the judge is expected to issue a final decision before September 2025.

The trial to rule on the final proposals will take place after President-elect Donald Trump⁵ takes office. Trump has made comments suggesting a breakup of Google is not in the U.S. national interest.

However, some recent nominations⁶ put forward by Trump's transition team have favored those who have been critical of big technology companies. And since the case was brought during Trump's first term, it is likely to move forward.

But before the final trial begins, Google is expected to appeal the case. Experts say this may mean the case could stretch out for years in the courts.

I'm Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

monopoly - n. complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market

default - n. what exists or usually happens if no changes are made

innovation - n. the act or process of introducing new ideas, devices or methods

advantage - n. a condition that provides a greater chance of success

range - n.

license - v.

regulate - v. to bring something under government control

transition - n. a change from one system or administration to another