Mozilla, the foundation that supports the development of the Firefox web browser, has accused Google, Microsoft and Apple forcing users to use their default web browsers reduce the alternatives to their minimal expression. The complaint was filed in a report whose title says it all: “5 Walled Gardens: Why Browsers Are Essential to the Internet and How Operating Systems Hold Them Back”.

Critics recall the “browser wars” of the 1990s and not because they are repeated, they are less unjustified. It’s true that Mozilla made its own mistakes that caused a big drop in Firefox usage, but as far as we’re concerned (in our opinion) the Foundation is absolutely right, and regulators should take action to give the user a real choice of alternatives. that you prefer in a group of applications such as web browsers and search engines that are essential.

And they are in it. Or they say they are. Mozilla’s report comes at a time when “self-preference” remains a hot topic in the technology regulation space. Britain’s competition watchdog has published a study that highlights “substantial concerns” about Google and Apple’s market dominance. For the same reason, complaints are on the table of the European or American regulator.

How operating systems are used

Mozilla explains what we all know. Developers of major operating systems use their privileged position to place their own applications. Microsoft does it on Windows, Google on Android and Apple on iOS in a strategy Mozilla describes as “bad practices,” if not monopolistic, to “suffocate” competitors who don’t make mass-use operating systems.

Although a user with some computer knowledge should have no problem using the web browser of their choice, most consumers they find it “difficult” to change and use the default settings because of how Microsoft, Apple and Google design their operating systems, as part of the same operating system “keep people locked in your garden”says Mozilla.

“The research we publish in this report paints a complex picture with many paradoxes: people say they know how to change their browser, but many never do.”written by the Mozilla team. “Many people think they can choose their browser, but they prefer software that is pre-installed, set as the default, and difficult to change.”.

The foundation gives an example of Windows 11 and the changes Microsoft made to browser selection for each type of extension and protocol. In practice, the vast majority of users do not mind its complexity and they continue to use the default browser which is none other than Edge. In addition, there are other components of Windows 11 that are inexorably linked to Edge and cannot even be changed.

Another example is Apple, which until 2020 did not offer the option to use a default browser other than Safari, and even today it cannot be uninstalled, as is the case with Edge or Chrome. Mozilla talks about configuration hijacking, a technique “even more heinous than banning the adoption of competing software.”

Tech giants design their software to influence the choice and manufacturer of operating systems use these techniques to enhance the use of your own browsers and search engines, “crush any opponent on the way”in the opinion of the foundation.

Alternatives are much needed

“Browser and Engine Competence Required drive innovation, performance, privacy and security«argue from Mozilla. «Effective competition requires multiple stakeholders to counter the power of a small number of giants and prevent them from dictating the future of the Internet for all of us.”.

“Consumers they should be in control of their online experiences and the ability to choose what software they want to use, including anything other than what the OS vendor offers.”a Mozilla spokesperson said. “User You shouldn’t have to deal with operating systems that constantly annoy, confuse, and invert preferences in favor of their own software.”they emphasize

Is there a solution? Mozilla is having a very hard time. Firefox, the only open source development among the major commercial web browsers, lost a significant amount of market share and also lost influence once Microsoft decided to use Google’s development, Chromium, as the basis for Edge.