<div id="readability-page-1"><div>The Justice Department has doubled down on its demand to break up Alphabet Inc.'s GOOG GOOGL Google, pushing for the sale of Chrome and restrictions on its search business.What Happened: In a court filing on Friday, the Justice Department reaffirmed its call for Google to divest Chrome and end its exclusive search engine deals with Apple Inc. AAPL, Mozilla, and smartphone manufacturers.&#34;Google's illegal conduct has created an economic goliath, one that wreaks havoc over the marketplace to ensure that—no matter what occurs—Google always wins,&#34; the filing stated.See Also: Google’s Chrome Changes Disable uBlock Origin For Even More Users —Can You Still Block Ads?The push follows a landmark ruling by Judge Amit P. Mehta last year, which found that Google illegally maintained a monopoly by paying billions to remain the default search engine on popular browsers and devices.Google, which has appealed the ruling, argued that its search dominance is due to superior technology rather than anticompetitive behavior.Judge Mehta will preside over a two-week hearing in April to determine how Google must comply with the ruling—potentially reshaping the future of Big Tech regulation.Why It's Important: The Justice Department's decision to stand by its proposal to fundamentally reshape the operations of a $2 trillion company marks one of the first clear indications of how the new administration may approach tech regulation.The proposed remedies—among the most significant in a tech monopoly case since the DOJ sought to break up Microsoft Corporation MSFT in 2000—could offer insight into how President Donald Trump's appointees will handle a series of high-stakes antitrust battles against Silicon Valley's biggest players, reported the New York Times.The Justice Department has already taken legal action against Google over its dominance in digital advertising, with a ruling still pending.It has also filed a lawsuit against Apple, arguing that the company's tightly integrated ecosystem makes it difficult for consumers to switch to rival products.Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission is preparing to take Meta Platforms, Inc. META to trial in April, alleging that its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp stifled competition.The agency has also sued Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN, accusing the e-commerce giant of illegally maintaining its dominance in online retail.Price Action: At the time of writing, Alphabet's Class A shares edged down 0.086% in after-hours trading to $173.71, while Class C shares slipped 0.023% to $175.71. Earlier, during Friday's regular trading session, Class A shares closed 0.88% higher at $173.86, with Class C shares also gaining 0.88% to reach $175.75, according to Benzinga Pro data.Read Next:<ul><li>Apple's iPad Turns 15 Today: Here's A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The ‘Third Category' After Phones And Notebooks</li></ul>Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.Photo courtesy: Shutterstock</div></div>

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The Justice Department has reaffirmed its demand to break up Google, pushing for the sale of Chrome and restrictions on its search business. This follows a ruling that found Google illegally maintained a monopoly by paying to be the default search engine. A hearing in April will determine compliance with the ruling, potentially reshaping Big Tech regulation. The DOJ's actions signal a significant approach to tech regulation, with ongoing legal battles against Google, Apple, and Meta. Alphabet's shares saw slight declines in after-hours trading following the news.

- The Justice Department is demanding the breakup of Alphabet Inc.'s Google, specifically calling for the sale of Chrome and the end of exclusive search engine deals.  
- This follows a ruling that found Google maintained a monopoly through illegal practices, with a hearing scheduled for April to determine compliance.  
- The case represents a significant move in tech regulation, potentially influencing future antitrust actions against major tech companies.

Google's Monopoly Fight Just Got More Intense: Justice Department Reaffirms Plan To Split Up The Tech Giant In Historic Antitrust Battle