Google avoids a ‘painful breakup’: How Googlers celebrated

Google employees erupted in celebration Tuesday after a federal judge ruled the tech giant could keep its Chrome browser, avoiding what could have been a devastating corporate breakup. The decision sent Google’s stock soaring more than 6% in after-hours trading while employees flooded internal message boards with memes and jokes.

US District Judge Amit Mehta

handed down antitrust penalties against Google after previously ruling its search business operates as an illegal monopoly. The Justice Department had pushed for forcing Google to sell Chrome, but Mehta rejected this proposal along with other more aggressive remedies in the landmark case.

Memes and jokes flood Google’s internal channels

According to messages and memes reviewed by Business Insider, Google employees quickly turned to humor to celebrate the news. One worker edited a Lord of the Rings scene to read “Looks like Chrome is back on the menu, boys!” while another referenced The Wolf of Wall Street, showing Chrome declaring “I’m not ******* leaving.”A particularly creative employee photographed an office sign reading “You belong here” and added the word “Chrome” underneath. Business Insider reported that another post showed a picture of a candle with the caption “Sending support to Googlers who sold $GOOG recently.”

Chrome is saved, but Google will have to share data and end exclusive deals

While Google avoided a breakup, Mehta’s ruling wasn’t entirely favorable. The company must share valuable search data with competitors and cannot make exclusive deals to distribute its search engine or AI products as defaults on devices and browsers.

The judge also banned Google from making exclusive arrangements that could block rivals’ distribution, though the company can still pay partners like Apple and Mozilla for search placement.Several Google employees who spoke anonymously to Business Insider said the outcome wouldn’t significantly impact daily operations. “I think people are mostly happy about the stock,” one employee noted.Google can now finally appeal the underlying monopoly ruling, potentially taking the case to the Supreme Court in a process that could stretch for years.