Google has lost its ad tech monopoly trial… and Mozilla is scared

In a decision that surprised few, a judge has ruled that Google is guilty of “willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” in advertising technology. Google (or its parent company, Alphabet, at least) is obviously unhappy with the ruling, but it’s not the only one.

Mozilla was one of the first companies to react to the ruling, and CEO Laura Chambers has expressed alarm about what it means for the future of its Firefox web browser. She also voices concerns about the implication of the rules for the open web and online industries.

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Chambers’ concerns are multi-faceted, but stem from the idea that rules that may be put in place because of gigantic firms like Alphabet/Google will negatively impact smaller companies, and those whose motives are not profit focused.

In a blog post sharing her thoughts about the implications of the case, Chambers writes:

The Court presiding over the Department of Justice’s search monopolization case against Google will soon convene a long-awaited remedies hearing that has the potential to significantly alter the industry and the open web.

Some of the remedies proposed in the case risk the future of our Firefox browser and Gecko browser engine — the last remaining non-Big Tech browser engine.

She goes on to speak more specifically about her concerns for Firefox:

We fully support the Department of Justice’s efforts to improve competition in various digital markets, but we’re concerned that the proposed remedies in the search case will do much more harm than good and unnecessarily seek to promote search competition at the expense of browser and browser engine competition. If the Department of Justice truly wants to fix competition, they can’t solve one problem by creating another.

The outcome of this case isn’t just about one company, it’s about the future of the internet and the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

There are only three main browser engines left and only one engine — Mozilla’s Gecko — is not owned by a Big Tech company. Browser engines shape how the web works. Gecko powers Firefox (and other independent browsers) and puts privacy and people first.

If it disappears, so does the open web.

Google has already indicated plans to appeal the judgement, so it is currently hard to tell what the consequences of the case may be, or when they could be felt.