Judge Amit P. Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that Google unlawfully exploited its dominant position to suppress competitors within the internet search market.

The antitrust violations included restrictive agreements with Apple and various smartphone manufacturers that obligated them to set Google as the pre-installed default search engine on their devices.

The judge also noted how Google had tried to fend off regulatory enforcement by discouraging its employees from archiving or saving electronic communications, which could serve as evidence. There was not quite a finding of spoliation of evidence, but the court said it "is taken aback by the lengths to which Google goes to avoid creating a paper trail for regulators and litigants." https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/08/05/doj-google-monopoly-trial-judgment/

There remains not only the question of damages, fines, and remedies to be imposed in this case, but a parallel DOJ antitrust case related to Google's advertising practices. That case is ongoing in federal court for the Northern District of Virginia.

How this all plays out remains to be seen. Google says it plans to appeal the D.C. District Court's decision.