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ZDNET's key takeaways
Google got off easily.
The search giant won't have to divest itself of Chrome, Android, or its ad data.
Nevertheless, Google is expected to appeal the decision.
In a landmark decision, Judge Amit Mehta of the US District Court ruled Google violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by stifling competition. As Mehta wrote in his decision, "Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly."
Now, Mehta has announced what that means in his long-awaited decision against Google. While it comes with important restrictions, it's well short of granting the Department of Justice's request that the tech giant be forced to sell off core assets such as its Chrome browser or Android operating system, or break up its digital ad business.
Also: Google is killing the Android phone feature that once made them popular
Mehta concluded that Google maintained an illegal monopoly in the online search and search advertising markets through exclusive contracts and other anticompetitive tactics. However, he decided that the government's push for divestiture -- calling for Google to sell off Chrome or Android -- was "overreaching" and not appropriately justified, declaring such a remedy "incredibly messy" and unsupported by direct evidence.
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