Mozilla, the nonprofit group behind Firefox, says technology giants such as Microsoft, Apple and Google steer users toward their own browsers, claiming that the companies that control popular operating systems and Web services use their position to essentially take away consumer choice.
Mozilla released a report entitled “Five Walled Gardens: Why Browsers Matter to the Internet and How Operating Systems Hinder Them. The report focuses on how people use web browsers. There is no doubt that the most popular web browsers today are Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge. Firefox is a close second, but Mozilla claims that the three most popular browsers enjoy a larger user base because of their parent companies.
The report argues that the tech giants use a variety of methods to make switching web browsers difficult or impossible. Mozilla lists five examples of “operating system self-preference that hurts consumers.
Limited or frustrating choice: OS providers make it difficult or impossible for consumers to switch browsers, ultimately eliminating their ability to make their own choices. It also discourages existing competitors and prevents new products from entering the market and offering more choices.
Lower quality: If consumers pay a monetary price of zero (as in the case of browsers), providers may be expected to compete on quality. However, if there is no effective competition from independent browsers, consumers may receive lower-quality products.
Lower innovation: Related to quality is innovation. Consumers miss out on developments (e.g., improved features and functionality). A lower likelihood of disruptive innovation may be accompanied by a reduction in consumer choice.
Poor privacy: Consumers may be left with products that mandate data sharing, data misuse, or other privacy impairments. These results may indicate ineffective competition leading to low quality.
Unfair contracts: Without proper choice, consumers may be forced to enter into contracts that are exploitative or unfair.
Claims like Mozilla’s are not new and, more importantly, are not entirely unfounded. Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS and macOS, and Google Android have previously been accused of steering users and indirectly limiting their choice of web browsers. These companies have also faced lawsuits for allegedly distorting consumers or subtly limiting and influencing users’ choices.
