Technologies

Judge Rules Google Can Keep Chrome but Must Stop Exclusive Search Deals

Google scores a major win in a huge antitrust suit.

Google doesn’t have to sell its wildly popular Chrome web browser, but it can’t engage in exclusive search deals, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled on Tuesday. Google must share limited search data and user-interaction data with «qualified competitors,» but the company doesn’t have to share its most valuable ads data.

This remedy is a long-awaited moment after a landmark 2020 antitrust case against Google from the Department of Justice, in which a federal court ruled the internet giant was illegally maintaining a dominance in online search. It did so by inking expensive contracts with companies like Apple, Mozilla and Samsung that made Google the default search platform on various services and devices.

The Justice Department argued that a potential remedy to the case would require Google to sell off its Chrome web browser, which currently maintains 69% global market share, according to GlobalStats. Chrome gives Google valuable user data that it uses to improve search and better focus online advertising.

«Google will not be required to divest Chrome; nor will the court include a contingent divestiture of the Android operating system in the final judgment,» according to the ruling. «Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divesture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints.»

Additionally, Google can’t make exclusive contracts for Search, Chrome, Google Assistant or Gemini but the company can still pay to have apps pre-loaded. In regards to Android, Google doesn’t have to divest its mobile operating system either. The ruling said, «plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divesture of these key assets.»

«The Court has imposed limits on how we distribute Google services, and will require us to share Search data with rivals. We have concerns about how these requirements will impact our users and their privacy, and we’re reviewing the decision closely,» said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs in a blog post. «The Court did recognize that divesting Chrome and Android would have gone beyond the case’s focus on search distribution, and would have harmed consumers and our partners.»

Mulholland also maintained Google’s argument that, thanks to the advent of AI, competition remains strong in the online information space. Granted, former Googler’s say that Google’s late start to the AI race had more to do with it not wanting to usurp its core money-making product, Search (along with safety concerns), despite the company being the maker of the key transformer technology powering the AI revolution.

The ruling is a reprieve for Google as it was facing a major restructuring of its core business model. Google makes a majority of its revenue from online search and advertising. Because Google Search is the world’s most popular search engine and Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser, it gives the search giant troves of user data and behavior, which it sells advertising against. Google also owns YouTube and Android, both of which have billions of users worldwide. Despite the increasing popularity of AI chabots like ChatGPT, which has 700 million weekly users, Google Search is still 373 times bigger. Last year, Google Search saw a 20% increase in search queries. At the moment, Google maintains a near 90% dominance in the online search market, according to GlobalStats.

Google has also been ruled to be maintaining a monopoly in online ad sales earlier this year, although that’s a separate case. Google currently controls the world’s largest online ads auction platform. This ruling forces Google to «publicly disclose material changes to promote greater transparency» in ad auctions to prevent it from secretly manipulating them in its favor.

Interestingly, the ruling excludes Google from giving publishers more choice in how Google uses their content. Google uses the corpus of published content online to not only train its Gemini AI model but also to feed automatic results into AI Overviews, the AI-generated results that increasingly appear at the top of Search. Publishers have been arguing that AI Overviews are eating into their search traffic, an assertion Google continually denies.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im