The US Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit against Google threatens the survival of Firefox. Mozilla has warned that losing its partnership with the search giant would be catastrophic for the browser because it risks losing its main source of funding.
Image source: Mozilla
Firefox has been an alternative to Chrome and Safari for years, but the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to stop Google from paying for its status as the default search engine in third-party browsers, including Firefox. The demand is part of the government’s fight against Google’s search monopoly, which a federal court ruled illegal last year, PCWorld reminds. But for Mozilla, such measures could result in the loss of 85% of its revenue, which comes from the deal with Google.
According to Mozilla CFO Eric Muhlheim, the loss of this funding would lead to major layoffs at the company, as Firefox provides about 90% of the Mozilla Foundation’s revenue. If investment in development were to decline, the browser would risk losing users and eventually ceasing to exist. Other Mozilla projects, including AI research, would also be at risk.
At the same time, it is emphasized that restrictions for Google can only strengthen its dominance. As Mulheim notes, the Firefox Gecko engine is the only browser engine that does not belong to IT giants, but to a non-profit organization. If Firefox disappears, only Google Chrome and Apple Safari will remain on the market, which will further reduce competition.
Mozilla is already in talks with other search engines, including Microsoft, about a possible switch to Bing as the default search engine. However, even such a large company is unlikely to offer as much money as Google. It is noteworthy that Mozilla has previously tried to change the default search engine, but faced harsh criticism from users.
If Firefox really is on the verge of closing, analysts say it would be a blow to the entire Internet industry, as the browser has been one of the few independent solutions for decades, and its disappearance could ultimately divide the market between Google and Apple.