Google may face a mandate to divest its Chrome web browser as a federal judge identified the company as holding an “illegal monopoly” in the search engine sector.

According to a report by Bloomberg on Monday, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) intends to petition the judge to require Alphabet’s Google to sell its Chrome browser.

If the judge agrees to this recommendation, it would represent one of the most assertive measures taken by the US government against a major tech firm.

Judge Amit P. Mehta ruled in August that Google, which claims approximately 90 percent of global internet searches, has leveraged its dominant position to sideline its competitors. A trial to discuss remedy proposals has been scheduled for April.

The Chrome browser plays a crucial role in helping Google manage user access to online content and target advertising effectively. It is predominantly linked to Google search and collects user data to enhance advertising strategies.

Although the report initially prompted a minor drop in Alphabet’s stock price, shares rebounded on Tuesday, closing up $2.78, or 1.6 percent, at $179.58 in New York.

Antitrust regulators are also expected to recommend that Google provide more flexibility for websites to prevent their content from being utilized by Google’s artificial intelligence initiatives, as reported by Bloomberg. Currently, Google features AI-generated answers labeled as “AI Overviews” at the top of search results. Additionally, Google may be required to license the data generated by its search operations.

The DoJ has opted not to comment on the matter.

Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, criticized the DoJ’s approach as promoting a “radical agenda that exceeds the legal complexities of the case” and asserted that it could negatively impact consumers.

Google intends to appeal following Judge Mehta’s conclusive ruling, anticipated by August 2025.

Other possible remedies might include eliminating exclusive contracts that see Google pay billions to companies like Apple to remain the default search engine on mobile devices. The judge could also examine the possibility of instructing Google to divest additional business segments, such as its Android operating system.