Judge allows Google to keep paying Mozilla and others, securing Firefox’s future and protecting the open source browser ecosystem from financial collapse.
United States District Judge Amit Mehta has ruled that Google can continue to pay browser makers such as Mozilla to remain their default search engine. This decision safeguards one of the most visible open source projects, Firefox.
The ruling is part of the remedies phase in United States v. Google LLC, following Mehta’s August 2024 finding that Google maintains an illegal monopoly in search, a decision still under appeal. While Google is now barred from signing exclusive contracts that force default or preloaded use of its services, it may continue non-exclusive revenue-sharing agreements.
“Google will not be barred from making payments or offering other consideration to distribution partners for preloading or placement of Google Search, Chrome, or its GenAI products,” Judge Mehta wrote. He added that “cutting off payments from Google almost certainly will impose substantial — in some cases, crippling — downstream harms to distribution partners, related markets, and consumers.”
For Mozilla, the judgment is crucial. Google’s search deal funding makes up nearly 85% of its annual income, a lifeline that Mozilla had argued was essential to avoid putting Firefox “out of business.” The ruling provides stability until at least 2026, when Mozilla’s current agreement expires. Opera raised similar concerns, warning that losing such revenue “would make it hard for [it] to continue to invest in innovative solutions.”
The decision also stabilises the Chromium open source ecosystem, where Google is the largest contributor, preventing uncertainty that could have arisen from forced divestments.
The Department of Justice had sought stronger remedies, including the sale of Chrome or divestment of Android, but the court declined. Investors welcomed the limited scope, with Alphabet shares rising 8% after the ruling.
