A federal court in the United States has ruled that American tech giant Google must henceforth hand over its search results and some data to rival companies in a landmark antitrust case over the company’s monopoly on internet searches.

The legal battle began in 2020 when the Department of Justice and a group of states filed a lawsuit against Google in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging that its search engine accounted for 90 percent of web searches.

In their filings, the government argued that Google generates billions of dollars annually thanks to its monopoly on internet searches, while urging the court to force the company to sell its internet browser, flagship Chrome, share data with rival companies, and end contract payments that reserve priority visibility on smartphones and other devices.

The government only managed to score a half-win following Judge Amit Mehta’s ruling on Tuesday, who ordered that Google must share some of its search data with companies that are “qualified competitors,” but stopped short of banning payments for visibility placement on devices, and did not grant the request to force the company to sell Chrome.

However, Google placed restrictions on payments to companies such as Apple, Samsung, Amazon, Meta, and others for visibility.

“Notwithstanding this power, courts must approach the task of crafting remedies with a healthy dose of humility,” an excerpt from Mr Mehta’s 223-page ruling stated. “This court has done so.”

The judgment is the first of its kind attempt to level the playing field among tech companies in Silicon Valley in the modern era, since an antitrust ruling against Microsoft over 20 years ago regarding its PC operating systems market.

“This decision marks an important step forward in the Department of Justice’s ongoing fight to protect American consumers. Under President Trump’s leadership, we will continue our legal efforts to hold companies accountable for monopolistic practices,” U.S. attorney general Pamela Bondi said in her reaction to the ruling.

“The first Trump administration sued Google to restore competition for millions of Americans subjected to Google’s monopoly abuses. Today, the second Trump administration has won a remedy to do just that,” the assistant attorney general, Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, added.

She added, “We will continue to review the opinion to consider the Department’s options and next steps regarding seeking additional relief. I am immensely proud of the dedicated public servants of the Antitrust Division and their tireless work on this case alongside our state partners.”