The sentiment "Google deserves what's coming" reflects a growing chorus of criticism directed at the tech giant from various sectors. In mid-2025, this sentiment is largely fueled by concerns around:

1. Antitrust and Monopoly Concerns (Ongoing Lawsuits and Rulings):

Ad Tech Monopoly: A federal judge in the U.S. (in April 2025) has indeed ruled that Google holds an illegal monopoly in the online advertising technology business. This ruling is a significant blow, potentially forcing Google to sell off parts of its Ad Manager suite, including its publisher ad server and ad exchange. The DOJ argued that Google used its dominant position to manipulate ad auctions and disadvantage competitors for over 15 years. Google has indicated it will appeal this decision.

Search Monopoly: Separately, Google has faced and continues to face a major antitrust lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding its monopoly over the online search market. A federal judge ruled in August 2024 that Google violated antitrust laws in search. In May 2025, Google and the DOJ were presenting closing arguments in the remedies phase of this case, where the DOJ has even proposed breaking up Google by forcing a sale of its Chrome browser and banning lucrative deals that make Google the default search engine on devices like Apple's iPhone. A ruling on remedies is expected in August 2025.

Play Store Monopoly: In 2023, a federal jury found Google guilty of violating antitrust laws with its Play Store app marketplace and in-app billing systems.

Global Scrutiny: These U.S. cases are not isolated. Google faces similar antitrust investigations and fines from regulatory bodies in the European Union, Japan, and other regions worldwide, indicating a global consensus on concerns about its market power.

Why this matters: Critics argue that Google's monopolistic practices stifle innovation, reduce competition, harm smaller businesses, and ultimately lead to higher prices for advertisers and potentially lower quality for users. The ongoing legal battles suggest that governments and regulators are serious about reining in Google's power.

2. Declining Search Quality and User Experience:

"Enshittification": Many users and content creators feel that Google Search has entered a phase of "enshittification" (a term popularized by Cory Doctorow). This describes how platforms initially serve users, then exploit users to serve business customers, and finally exploit business customers to claw back all value for themselves, leading to a decline in quality.

More Ads, Less Organic Content: There's a widespread perception that Google Search results are increasingly cluttered with intrusive ads, sponsored content, and Google's own products, making it harder to find genuinely relevant organic content.

AI Overviews (AIOs) and Accuracy Concerns: While Google's AI Overviews (formerly Search Generative Experience) aim to provide instant answers, they have faced significant criticism for factual inaccuracies and "hallucinations," sometimes presenting bizarre or dangerous advice. This raises questions about reliability and trust, especially as Google prioritizes these AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, potentially reducing clicks to original sources.

Spam and Low-Quality Content: The rise of AI-generated junk content and SEO spam has made it more challenging for users to find high-quality, authoritative information, leading to frustration. Content creators who relied on organic search feel increasingly marginalized as Google's algorithms shift.

Prioritizing Google's Ecosystem: Critics argue that Google designs its search experience to keep users within its own ecosystem (e.g., featured snippets, direct integrations with Google Maps, YouTube, Shopping) rather than sending them to external websites, which impacts publishers and competition.

Why this matters: If the core product (search) that built Google's empire is perceived to be declining in quality and user experience, it risks alienating its vast user base and opening doors for competitors.

3. Data Privacy Concerns:

Extensive Data Collection: Google's business model relies heavily on collecting vast amounts of user data (search history, Browse habits, location, app usage) to power its advertising machine.

Lack of Transparency: Critics argue that Google's privacy policies are often opaque, and users have limited control over how their data is collected and used.

Growing User Awareness: With increasing awareness about data privacy, more users are seeking out privacy-focused alternatives (e.g., DuckDuckGo, Brave Browser) or becoming more cautious about using Google products.

Why this matters: Continuous breaches of trust or perceived disregard for user privacy can erode public confidence and lead to a backlash, potentially impacting adoption of new Google products and services.

4. Layoffs and Employee Morale:

Significant Job Cuts: Google has continued to announce significant layoffs in 2025, particularly impacting teams in Android, Pixel, and Chrome. While Google states these are strategic efforts to streamline operations and prioritize AI, they have caused concern about employee morale and transparency.

Focus on AI: The layoffs also highlight Google's aggressive pivot towards AI, which is seen as necessary to maintain competitiveness but also impacts traditional roles.

Why this matters: Large-scale layoffs can affect Google's ability to attract and retain top talent in a competitive tech landscape, and can signal instability to investors and the public.

Conclusion:

The sentiment "Google deserves what's coming" stems from a combination of growing regulatory pressure over its market dominance and anti-competitive practices, coupled with increasing user dissatisfaction regarding the quality of its core search product and ongoing privacy concerns. While Google remains an incredibly powerful and innovative company, these challenges are significant and could indeed lead to forced structural changes, altered business practices, or a decline in user trust if not effectively addressed. The outcomes of the various antitrust lawsuits in 2025 will be particularly impactful in shaping Google's future.