Bloomberg spoke about the US Department of Justice’s plans to require Google to sell Chrome

According to the publication’s interlocutors, officials achieve this because Chrome is a “key access point” through which many people use the Google search engine.

A decision on the fate of the browser will be made later if other measures fail to stimulate competition. A harsher option – forcing Google to sell Android – was also considered, but was abandoned.

According to Bloomberg sources, antitrust officials are going to present the following demands to Google:

• license search results and data, and give sites the ability to prevent their content from being used in artificial intelligence products developed by Google;

• separate the Android operating system from other Google products, including search and the Google Play app store;

• Give advertisers more insight and control over where their ads appear.

The decision also depends on whether a suitable buyer is found, Bloomberg notes. Those that might be interested in Chrome, such as Amazon.com Inc., are also under antitrust scrutiny, which could hinder the deal.

The US Department of Justice declined to comment. Google emphasized that the ministry “continues to promote a radical agenda that goes far beyond legal issues.”

Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world. According to web traffic analysis service StatCounter, Chrome has about 61% of the market in the United States.

In August, the court ruled that Google intentionally acted as a monopolist in the online search engine market and therefore violated US antitrust law. The company said it plans to appeal.

In 2020, Politico, citing sources, wrote that the US Department of Justice and Attorney General’s Office were considering forcing Google to sell Chrome following an antitrust investigation by the US Congress.