Mozilla Firefox could be collateral damage in Google’s antitrust battle

“Banning default search placement deals may weaken Google’s grip, but it risks crippling the very alternatives meant to provide choice,” said Sanchit Vir Gogia, CEO and chief analyst at Greyhound Research. “The remedy must distinguish between dominant gatekeepers and dependent participants.”

Financial dependency creates unexpected vulnerability

In a court testimony on Friday, Muhlheim revealed the extent of Mozilla’s financial dependence on Google, painting a picture of an organization caught in a precarious position. According to the report, Muhlheim disclosed that Firefox generates approximately 90% of Mozilla’s total revenue, with about 85% of that revenue coming directly from Google.

The search giant pays Mozilla substantial fees to remain the default search engine in Firefox, creating a revenue stream that Mozilla argues is essential to its survival. Court documents and testimony show that in 2023, Mozilla generated approximately $495 million from such licensing arrangements out of $653 million in total revenue.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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