Google seeks delay on sharing search data as it appeals antitrust ruling

Google has asked a US federal court to temporarily halt an order that would require it to share key search data with competitors, arguing that such a move could irreversibly expose sensitive information while the company appeals a landmark antitrust ruling.

In a filing submitted on Friday, Alphabet’s Google said it plans to challenge a 2024 decision by US District Judge Amit Mehta, who ruled that the company illegally maintained dominance in the online search market. Google has indicated it will seek to overturn that finding in a federal appeals court.

As part of the remedies imposed, the court directed Google to share certain data with rival companies, including firms developing generative artificial intelligence tools. Google contends that this requirement goes too far and risks disclosing proprietary information and trade secrets that cannot be recovered if the ruling is later reversed.

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The company has requested that Judge Mehta pause only the data-sharing component of the order while the appeal is pending. It has not asked for a delay on other measures, including limits on agreements that allow Google to preload its apps, such as its Gemini AI chatbot, on devices. Under the ruling, such contracts would be capped at one year.

Google said it is prepared to comply with all other aspects of the court’s decision during the appeal process, short of providing competitors access to its data or syndicated search results and advertising systems.

The case marks one of the most significant antitrust challenges faced by Google in the United States. Despite the court finding that the company holds multiple illegal monopolies, the immediate impact on its business has so far been limited.

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The US Department of Justice and a coalition of states that brought the case now face a deadline of February 3 to decide whether to appeal Judge Mehta’s rejection of more aggressive remedies. Prosecutors had pushed for tougher measures, including forcing Google to divest its Chrome browser and end multibillion-dollar payments to device makers, such as Apple, that set Google as the default search engine.

As the appeals process unfolds, the outcome could shape how competition is enforced in digital markets and determine how far courts are willing to go in restructuring dominant technology platforms.