The decision that could kill off Firefox
the Mozilla Foundation is extremely concerned about the future of its Firefox web browser following the latest proposals from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to limit Google's dominance of online search. — AFP Relaxnews
The Mozilla Foundation is sounding the alarm: its famous Firefox browser could be under serious threat if Google can no longer participate in its funding in exchange for being the browser's default search engine. This is what the US Department of Justice is proposing as part of its antitrust trial against Google.
As The Verge explains, the Mozilla Foundation is extremely concerned about the future of its Firefox web browser following the latest proposals from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to limit Google's dominance of online search.
The DOJ has recognised that Google holds an illegal monopoly on online search services, and has set out a number of remedial measures. One of these is an outright ban on all paid agreements to be the default search engine on third-party browsers. This is currently the case with Firefox, and accounts for the bulk of its funding.
A vital partnership between Google and Firefox
This deal between Google and Mozilla accounts for some 85% of Firefox's revenue, with Firefox in turn generating approximately 90% of Mozilla's total revenue. In other words, removing this financial cornerstone would be catastrophic for the future activities of the teams working on Firefox.
It would threaten the very existence of the browser. It's worth noting that these funds are also used to finance the foundation's other non-profit initiatives. Paradoxically, such a decision would also strengthen Google's dominant position by removing an alternative to Chrome, already highly dominant on the web browser market.
After its heyday some 15 years ago, Firefox's market share across all devices is now just over 2.5% worldwide, according to StatCounter. Despite this, Firefox remains a browser appreciated for its respect for privacy and its independence from major technology companies. Mozilla is therefore calling for solutions that promote competition without compromising the viability of independent browsers. – AFP Relaxnews
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