The European Digital Markets Act will actually come into force next year. This includes a mandatory mask in which users of a system continue to have the free choice between different competing browsers. Mozilla from the Firefox browser has reservations about this.

The Digital Markets Act will actually come into force for the EU next year. This also includes the obligation to always allow users to choose their default browser. This applies in particular to the gatekeepers appointed by the EU. Mozilla, the Firefox browser, is positive about this commitment, but has the necessary comments.

Possibilities

Mozilla sees potential in the Digital Markets Act. The organization calls the law a unique opportunity to improve competition and offer users a fairer choice. Mozilla therefore declares its willingness to cooperate with the goals that the DMA has in mind.

The company says it has seen failed attempts to level the browser market for a quarter of a century and is now expressing reservations. Mozilla places little value on the efficiency of the current rules surrounding browser competition. According to the organization, there are only a few operating systems that can test browser selection options and little data is available.

recommendations

Mozilla has now conducted its own extensive experiment on the concept of such a selection screen. For example, 12,000 people in Spain, Poland and Germany had to set up a very realistic virtual device in Windows or Android. This allowed Mozilla to define four important factors:

• Beautifully designed screens can influence users’ browser choices
• The combination of design, content and timing of such a screen is important
• People have clear preferences when it comes to browser selection screens
• Browser selection screens increase satisfaction without significantly increasing burden

These findings are not in themselves a surprise. Mozilla says that this is proof that such a selection screen can be effective, but the organization says it is extremely important that everything runs correctly. Major operating systems still have the ability to drive users to their own products, and Mozilla’s research shows that even the smallest details can do this.

Therefore, according to Mozilla, it is essential that third parties are closely involved in monitoring this system. This affects smaller browsers, consumer groups and behavioral experts. Together with clear regulations, this requirement to introduce a selection screen can mean a positive change for the browser market, according to Mozilla. The possibility of a missed opportunity is otherwise very real, the organization says.

Mozilla does not strictly limit its activities around its own browser. The organization also recently expressed concerns about what Microsoft is doing with its users’ data.