The government’s proposal to make Google share its search data with competitors would “deeply undermine user trust” by putting queries in the hands of potentially less secure rivals, the company’s search chief Elizabeth Reid testified Tuesday.

The Justice Department has proposed forcing Google to syndicate its ranking signals and other search data to competitors, something it says will level the playing field and end Google’s search monopoly. But Reid argued that exporting that data would shake users’ faith that their searches would stay private, and its value would create an incentive for hackers to go after small competitors. “Once it’s turned over to a qualified competitor, there’s no further protections we can give,” she said. “A startup is generally not a target because it’s small, but now it has this huge treasure trove of data.”

Google is fighting the DOJ’s sweeping proposals, which also include forcing it to sell its Chrome browser, by arguing for more limited changes to its search distribution contracts (it plans to appeal the monopoly ruling, but can’t do so until Judge Amit Mehta issues a remedies decision). Reid’s testimony follows that of other executives, including …

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