Should Google get rid of Chrome?


Chrome is still one of the most popular browsers out there, but Google may just have to get rid of it. American authorities suspect that the internet giant is abusing its dominant position.

The United States Department of Justice is now looking at ways to get Google to divest some of its online activities. The core activities of the internet giant include Google Ads, the Google search engine and YouTube. All in all, Google now has 251 products in its portfolio, including Gmail, Chrome, Maps, the Play Store and Android.

With this, Google reaches a huge number of users, currently more than two billion. The advertising market in particular does not harm Google and that is precisely what the US authorities are concerned about.

The Ministry of Justice wants to see whether the internet company can be broken up to make Google less dominant. According to sources opposite Politico Chrome is the target, among others. The browser is said to play a central role in how Google collects user data and influences the search engine market.

Cookies

The Chrome browser, which was launched in 2008, currently dominates the US browser market and is often under attack because of the way Google collects search data and then sells that data to advertisers.

In response, Google announced that third-party cookies in Chrome will be blocked in the coming years. This should benefit the privacy of users. Cookies track users across multiple websites and are important for the advertising market to provide them with tailored advertisements.

Fine

The question now is whether Google is actually abusing its dominant position to keep competitors at bay. Last year, the company was fined $ 1.7 billion by European regulators for abusing its position in the advertising market. Studies are currently ongoing in France, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany into similar practices.

Possible buyers

Should the US Department of Justice conclude that Google should part with Chrome, the browser will likely be sold. But to whom? Chrome may be able to find a new owner in Samsung. Samsung is one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, but the browser that is standard on Samsung phones is not to the taste of many. It is obvious that Samsung is considering buying Chrome, although it is questionable whether American authorities will be eager if the browser falls into Chinese hands.

Microsoft may also be interested. Earlier this year, Microsoft already switched its browser to the same engine as Chrome. A takeover of Chrome could significantly strengthen Microsoft’s position in the desktop browser market.

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