Even those of us who Google every day—and that's the vast majority of us—can and should applaud this week's federal court ruling holding that the company is maintaining its dominance in internet search through an illegal monopoly. Google search can simultaneously be a very, very useful product (indeed, the judge said it is "widely recognized as the best" general search engine "available in the United States") and one that might not stay in the digital catbird seat if it weren't strong-arming competitors.

D.C. Federal Judge Amit Mehta's ruling is rooted in the fact that Google spends billions of dollars to have its search engine installed as the default on new smartphones and other devices. In just one recent year alone, those agreements cost the company $26 billion—far more than most competitors can possibly afford.

When users reflexively rely on Google, every click that follows further cements Google's dominance in advertising—which in this case the judge said enabled monopolistic pricing—and a wide range of other realms. It's the key that unlocks the door to making money online.

The judicial-ordered remedy is still to be determined; the legal process to arrive at that will begin next month. This could include penalties or structural changes that weaken the company's ability or outright prevent it from setting Google as the default.

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