Google may be forced to sell off some of the most famous parts of its business, including its Chrome browser, under plans drawn up by the US government.
Officials at the US Justice Department (DOJ) are currently pulling together an antiturst case alongside multiple state prosecutors concerning Google's alleged dominance of several online markets, believing that the company has took much power.
Sources have now claimed that under some of the most dramatic plans being considered, Google could be forced to spin off or sell parts of its advertising business, or even its Chrome browser.
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Google Chrome sale
Google has been facing accusations about market dominance in the US for some time, with both government and state regulators long eyeing up the company alongside fellow online giants Amazon and Facebook.
Such antitrust claims allege that particular companies have an unfair dominance in one particular area, with their roots in breaking up industrial giants in the 19th Century.
Google has come under particular fire for allegedly cornering the online search market, which rivals have said is being unfairly supported through its advertising business and software offering such as Chrome and the Android mobile operating system.
The Department of Justice is thought to have been preparing a suit against Google for some time, with the new suggestions of selling off or splitting up the company showing just how serious the case could become.
There's been no comment from either Google or the DOJ yet, but reports suggest the latter could file its case within days.
Chrome is far and away the most popular browser in the world, but it has had to respond to changing user attitudes towards privacy and security. Google announced in January that it would stop using third-party cookies in Chrome, which could be used to track user behaviour online, within the next two years.
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Via Politico
