DOJ Moves to Block Google Access to Rivals' Confidential Data in Antitrust Case
The DOJ has asked a judge to block Google from seeing rivals’ confidential data during antitrust oversight.
Why it matters: Allowing Google access to sensitive competitor information during regulatory processes could weaken competition in search and set significant precedents for digital monopoly oversight. Legal and compliance teams must monitor evolving rules on data security and antitrust remedies.
- On May 1, 2026, the DOJ urged a judge to prevent Google from accessing rivals’ confidential data.
- The Technical Committee, created to oversee antitrust remedies, receives sensitive business information from Google’s competitors.
- DuckDuckGo’s Steve Fischer warns Google’s access to forward-looking business plans poses competitive risks.
- Judge Amit Mehta previously ordered Google to share its search index and user data as a remedy in September 2025.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) requested on May 1, 2026 that a federal judge bar Google from viewing confidential documents that competitors such as DuckDuckGo submit to an independent Technical Committee responsible for supervising antitrust remedy compliance.
- The committee was established after Judge Amit Mehta mandated in September 2025 that Google must share its search index and user data with rival search engines. The committee also screens data recipients to help prevent leaks, but criteria remain unclear.
- DOJ officials highlighted that allowing Google to access competitors' highly sensitive or forward-looking business data, including future strategies, could hinder rivals’ willingness to cooperate and threaten fair competition in the search market.
- Steve Fischer, Chief Business Officer at DuckDuckGo, emphasized, “DuckDuckGo's forward-looking business plans are among the most competitively sensitive documents in its possession."
This latest DOJ motion comes amid a broader effort to enforce antitrust remedies and address potential loopholes in digital market oversight. Restrictions on data access could shape how future remedies are structured for dominant tech platforms.
By the numbers:
- May 1, 2026 — DOJ requested a judge to prevent Google’s access to competitor data.
- September 2025 — Judge Mehta ordered Google to share data with rival search engines.