When the Department of Justice asked a court to force Google to sell its Chrome browser, it opened a rare window for other companies to control the program used by two out of every three internet users. Such a sale would reshape the way we browse, search, and interact with online content. Here’s what our readers need to know.

Why Chrome Matters
Chrome is the main browser people install to view websites on computers and phones. Google built it in 2008 to make web pages load faster and added features like private browsing and automatic updates. Today, Chrome handles about 65 percent of all web traffic globally. Whoever owns Chrome can decide what application to use for internet searches, display quick-access buttons on the start page, and even insert new tools, like a built-in translator or an AI assistant, directly into the address bar.

This control shapes our daily online experience. By setting a default search engine within Chrome, the owner directs billions of searches each day to a specific company, generating advertising revenue and shaping which search results people see first. Changing those defaults would ripple across the internet: smaller search providers could gain traffic, consumers might see different ads, and new services could become widely available overnight.

What’s Driving the Sale
The U.S. Department of Justice argues that Google used Chrome to lock in its dominance in search and online advertising. In court papers, the DOJ pointed out that Google pays phone makers and browser developers billions to make Google Search the default option. That limits competition from other search engines and gives Google an unfair advantage in collecting user data for ads.

Last month, Judge Amit Mehta signaled that forcing Google to sell Chrome and unwind default-search deals could help restore competition. A sale would force Google to lose direct control over how browsers are distributed and which search engine appears first when users type in the address bar.

Who Wants to Buy Chrome
Several companies have publicly expressed interest in buying Chrome if a sale is ordered:

Yahoo: Backed by Apollo Global Management, Yahoo already runs its own search engine and has discussed spending tens of billions of dollars to acquire Chrome. Yahoo believes it could instantly boost its tiny share of search traffic by setting Yahoo Search as the browser’s default.

OpenAI: The maker of ChatGPT sees Chrome as a prime platform for integrating AI-powered assistance directly into web browsing. OpenAI’s leaders say they would embed an AI chat feature into the address bar, offering real-time answers and writing help.

Perplexity: A smaller company focused on AI search, Perplexity believes it could match Chrome’s speed and features while inserting its own AI tools. Its CEO argues that modern open-source browser code makes it easier for newcomers to scale up quickly.

DuckDuckGo: Known for protecting privacy, DuckDuckGo would place user privacy at the center of Chrome by blocking trackers and limiting data collection. However, it admits it might need partners or outside funding to handle the technical costs of running a global browser.

What Would Change for Users
If Chrome changes hands, users might see a new start page with different quick links, a switch in default search engine, or prompts to try new features. For example, Yahoo could show news highlights, OpenAI might offer writing assistance, and DuckDuckGo would block ads that track your activity across sites.

Extensions, small programs that add features like ad blockers or password managers, would still work, since Chrome is built on an open standard called Chromium. That means add-ons developed for Chrome today would also run on its successor browser.

Timeline and Next Steps
Judge Mehta is expected to decide on divestiture remedies by August 2025. If he orders a sale, negotiations could take months or even years. Google may appeal, delaying the process further. Meanwhile, potential buyers are preparing financial plans, legal filings, and technical roadmaps to demonstrate they can maintain and improve the browser.

For web users, this legal fight could bring more choices, better privacy, and faster innovation—or it could simply shift control from one tech giant to another. Either way, the outcome will shape how we browse the web for years to come.