The Chrome Divorce: DOJ and 38 States File Cross-Appeal to Force Google’s Breakup

The U.S. Department of Justice, joined by several states, has filed a cross-appeal to revive a remedy requiring Google to divest its Chrome browser after a 2025 ruling found an illegal search monopoly but rejected divestiture in favor of limiting default search contracts and mandating selective telemetry sharing. Regulators argue Chrome’s dominance sustains Google’s search control despite contract restrictions, while Google is separately appealing the monopoly finding and penalties; the appellate process may take 1–2 years and could constrain future Chrome integrations, including AI features like Gemini.