In the midst of one of the biggest tech trials — Google vs. the U.S. government, which got underway last week — 60% of Americans participating in a survey believe companies such as Google, Amazon and Meta have too much power, and 46% believe the government should do more to regulate them.

The American Economic Liberties Project — a group that has been critical of the market power of tech giants, including Google — conducted the survey just days after Google’s antitrust trial got underway. 

All political parties shared the opinion that the companies have too much power, including 65% of Democrats, 63% of Independents, and 53% of Republicans.

Some 46% of Americans surveyed said government officials should do more to regulate big technology companies, while 30% said they are doing the right amount of regulation, 14% should do less, and 10% said they just don’t know. 

Overall, 80% of the survey participants said they began using Google Search more than five years ago, while 12% said they have been using it within the past five years, and 7% didn’t know.

The poll surveyed 1,227 voters nationally using web panel respondents September 13 and September 14, which is just after the date that the U.S. Department of Justice’s   antitrust trial targeting Google’s power in the search engine market began.

The government alleges Google maintains a monopoly in the search and advertising markets through exclusive contracts, data, and other ways thought to be controlling.

When asked whether they would be likely to try a new search engine introduced by Apple to compete with Google, 58% said they would be likely to try it and 35% said they would be unlikely to.

All political parties shared this opinion, including 22% of Democrats, 21% of Independents, and 20% of Republicans. Male and female responses came in at 21% and 21%, respectively.

Among the survey participants, those who were somewhat concerned about how Google handles privacy and data came in at 39%, compared with those who said they were a little concerned at 27%, and very concerned at 21%.

In general, 50% of survey participants said sponsored content in Google search results are mostly useful, while 43% said the results are mostly useless, and 8% said they didn’t know. Overall, 38% of respondents said Google displays too much sponsored content.

In general, 50% of survey participants said sponsored content in Google search results are mostly useful, 43% said mostly useless, and 8% didn’t know. Overall, 38% said Google displays too much sponsored content.

In the midst of one of the biggest tech trials, 60% of Americans surveyed believe companies such as Google, Amazon and Meta have too much power, and 46% believe the government should do more to regulate them.