{"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","dataset":"markets","count":1,"filters":{"market":"us-search-engine-usage","matched":true,"marketId":"mkt-search","slug":"us-search-engine-usage","name":"U.S. search engine usage"},"rows":[{"id":"mkt-search","slug":"us-search-engine-usage","name":"U.S. search engine usage","shortName":"Search engines","geography":"United States","sector":"Digital platforms","dataVintage":"2026","naicsCode":"518210","industryHref":"/industries/518210","crosswalkHref":"/markets/economy?bridgeMarket=us-search-engine-usage&bridgeNaics=518210#market-industry-crosswalk","latestHhi":7359,"concentrationClass":"highly_concentrated","cr4":99.4,"topFirmShare":85.16,"hhiAtOrAbove2500":true,"hhiDisclosureGap":false,"dataStatus":"estimated_public","confidenceLevel":"medium","sourceCount":1,"policySourceCount":2,"policyEventCount":3,"reportCount":3,"briefAction":"Test whether the dominant firm controls access, switching, pricing, defaults, distribution, or other chokepoints that weaken consumer choice.","briefActionLevel":"Immediate review","briefChange":"HHI fell by 591 points from 2023 to 2026, moving from 7,950 to 7,359.","briefComparisonDelta":-591,"briefComparisonDirection":"decreased","briefComparisonFromYear":2023,"briefComparisonMetric":"hhi","briefComparisonToYear":2026,"briefEvidence":"3 records in the evidence custody chain, 7 latest share rows, 3 linked official records, and 3 related briefs support this profile. Status is estimated public with medium confidence.","briefEvidenceState":"measured_hhi","briefGuardrail":"This brief summarizes the observatory's published market screen. It does not define a legal antitrust market, establish market power, identify anticompetitive conduct, estimate consumer harm, or convert descriptive concentration into a causal claim.","briefHeadline":"Search engines: highly concentrated, with observed HHI down 591 points.","briefHref":"/markets/us-search-engine-usage#overview","briefQuestion":"Does the observed usage structure persist in revenue, switching, access, quality, and conduct evidence under a legally relevant market definition?","briefSourceIds":"statcounter-search-us-2026|doj-google-search-case-2020|doj-google-search-remedies-2025","briefStructure":"The latest 2026 screen reports HHI 7,359, classified as highly concentrated. Google Search leads the sourced distribution at 85.2%. The four largest named participants account for 99.4%."}]}