Google broke law to maintain online search monopoly, US judge rules

White House calls decision – that could have major implications for web use – ‘victory for the American people’

Google violated antitrust laws as it built an internet search empire, a federal judge ruled on Monday in a decision that could have major implications for the way people interact with the internet.

Judge Amit Mehta found that Google violated section 2 of the Sherman Act, a US antitrust law. His decision states that Google maintained a monopoly over search services and advertising.