The way we search for information on the internet could change, after Google's been found to have violated US laws.

A judge has ruled the tech giant acted illegally...by exploiting its position to stifle its competition.

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Seamus Byrne, editor, the Byteside
Professor David Tuffley, Griffith University
Professor Rod Sims, Australian National University

Rachel Mealey: The way we search for information on the internet could change, after Google's been found to have violated US laws. A judge has ruled the tech giant acted illegally by exploiting its position to stifle its competition. Experts say the ruling could have major consequences, potentially reshaping web searches. Kathleen Ferguson reports.

Kathleen Ferguson: People ask it about eight and a half billion questions a day. But that could be about to change. Overnight, a US district court found Google violated the country's antitrust laws by exploiting its search engine to crush competitors and subdue innovation. This case is a major loss for Google and its parent company Alphabet. But what will the implications be? Seamus Byrne is a tech expert and the editor of ByteSide.

Seamus Byrne: It's going to take a while to shake out, but both Google and then in particular companies like Apple are really going to have some significant changes here because a big part of this decision is the fact that they've paid to maintain a default position in things like iPhones and other devices.

Kathleen Ferguson: Google paid Apple billions of dollars a year for this deal. Seamus Byrne says ultimately we may see more competition and a better product from Google.

Seamus Byrne: I think long term what we might see is a little less complacency in a sense. And I think that's part of what the judge was even pointing to.

Kathleen Ferguson: Google has argued it's popular because it is overwhelmingly consumers' first choice. Seamus Byrne says that doesn't mean the company is doing the best by its users.

Seamus Byrne: As much as it is kind of true that Google is most people's absolute first choice, there's that big question here. And this is where I guess the judge has sort of fallen down, is saying that it is monopolistic even though they might be the best search engine, the way that they have entered into these kinds of agreements is a monopolistic act that needs to be addressed.

Kathleen Ferguson: What do you make of Microsoft being described as one of the star witnesses of the trial in this case last year? But Microsoft themselves were in, I guess, a similar position some time ago when it came to some of their programs.

Seamus Byrne: Yeah, absolutely. I think this is a really important one to have identified sort of Microsoft as so significant here because you're absolutely right that back in the 1990s when they first introduced a default web browser of their own Internet Explorer at the time, that yeah, that that was a big part of at the time them being sort of in trouble for anti-competitive behaviour. It's sort of almost funny in hindsight, but it's like without that decision, it might have been that most people would only have ever had that Microsoft browser and we've had an explosion of other things. And ultimately, Google is now the biggest creator of a web browser.

Kathleen Ferguson: Professor David Tuffley is a tech expert from Griffith University. He says people may still choose Google even if there's more competition.

David Tuffley: If they have to become a more competitive search engine, then perhaps some of that advertising revenue will decrease. But, you know, it's still a pretty good search engine. So I think a lot of people will continue to use it.

Kathleen Ferguson: Rod Sims is a professor at the Australian National University and the former chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. He says the ruling is terrific for consumers, but he says there is a way to go before we see the global impact.

Rod Sims: I'm sure they'll appeal. There's too much at stake for them not to. The interesting thing is what remedies the court imposes.

Kathleen Ferguson: No penalties have been issued yet and it's unclear what they might look like. But experts like Seamus Byrne say this ruling is significant in a rapidly developing digital world.

Seamus Byrne: It does feel like one of those moments where, you know, where things go from here could be quite different.

Rachel Mealey: Tech writer Seamus Byrne ending that report from Kathleen Ferguson.

Noemie Fox is paddling during a race. She's in a blue kayak, wearing a black helmet and green bib.

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Program: How a US court decision could affect internet searches