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Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) units Segment | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Jan. 01, 2018 USD ($)
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of reportable segments | Segment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 91,000,000 | $ 401,000,000 |  |
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) |  | $ 12,205,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 11,284,000,000 |  |  |  | 12,205,000,000 | 11,284,000,000 |  |
Total revenue |  | (1,735,000,000) | $ (1,689,000,000) | $ (1,704,000,000) | $ (1,571,000,000) | (1,536,000,000) | $ (1,546,000,000) | $ (1,609,000,000) | $ (1,567,000,000) | (6,699,000,000) | (6,258,000,000) | $ (6,063,000,000) |
Contract assets |  | 28,000,000 |  |  |  | 26,000,000 |  |  |  | 28,000,000 | 26,000,000 |  |
Remaining performance obligations |  | 1,900,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,900,000,000 |  |  |
Revenue recognized next year (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |
Revenue recognized within two years (as a percent) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 75.00% |  |  |
Market value of cash and cash equivalents |  | 2,866,000,000 |  |  |  | 1,917,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 2,866,000,000 | 1,917,000,000 |  |
Gross deferred technology costs |  | 212,000,000 |  |  |  | 205,000,000 |  |  |  | 212,000,000 | 205,000,000 |  |
Accumulated amortization of deferred technology costs |  | 129,000,000 |  |  |  | 105,000,000 |  |  |  | 129,000,000 | 105,000,000 |  |
Fair value of our long-term debt borrowings |  | 3,900,000,000 |  |  |  | 3,800,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 3,900,000,000 | 3,800,000,000 |  |
Number of reporting units | units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |
Cost of advertisement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 34,000,000 | 33,000,000 | 33,000,000 |
Undistributed accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiary |  | 3,200,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,200,000,000 |  |  |
Undistributed accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiary to be indefinitely reinvested |  | 776,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 776,000,000 |  |  |
Goodwill impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 | 0 | 0 |
Minimum | Software and Software Development Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 years |  |  |
Minimum | Building Improvements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15 years |  |  |
Minimum | Equipment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 years |  |  |
Maximum | Software and Software Development Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 years |  |  |
Maximum | Building Improvements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40 years |  |  |
Maximum | Equipment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10 years |  |  |
Kensho Technologies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Consideration paid for acquisition, net of cash acquired | $ 550,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted cash |  | 15,000,000 |  |  |  | 32,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 15,000,000 | 32,000,000 |  |
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 35,000,000
Unearned revenue recognized |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,700,000,000 |  |  |
Capitalized contract costs |  | $ 115,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 101,000,000 |  |  |  | 115,000,000 | 101,000,000 |  |
Non-transaction |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,401,000,000) | (1,408,000,000) | (1,363,000,000) |
Intersegment Elimination |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 128,000,000 | 125,000,000 | 110,000,000 |
Intersegment Elimination | Non-transaction |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 128,000,000 | $ 125,000,000 | $ 110,000,000 |

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