Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a Browser created by tech giant Google. Since its inception, it has become the most used browser on the internet by a large margin.
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| Basic Information | |
|---|---|
| Release Year | 2008 |
| Product Type | Web Browser |
| In Production | Yes |
| Official Website | https://www.google.com/chrome/ |
Consumer impact summary edit
User freedom edit
Chrome significantly impacts user freedom through its default settings, extension policies, and integration with Google's ecosystem. The browser's dominance allows Google to influence web standards, potentially creating a web environment that works best with Chrome.[1] Users face potential lock-in through seamless integration with Google services, making switching to alternative browsers more difficult. Additionally, Google's control over Chrome's extension ecosystem has raised concerns, particularly when the company has proposed changes that would limit the effectiveness of ad-blocking extensions, potentially prioritizing Google's advertising business over user choice.[2]
User privacy edit
Chrome's privacy practices have been a significant concern for consumer advocates. As a Google product, Chrome collects substantial user data including browsing history, search queries, and site visits to serve targeted advertisements and improve Google services.[3] The browser's implementation of privacy features like "Do Not Track" has been criticized for being ineffective, as Google noted that "many websites and web services, including Google's, don't change their behavior when they receive a Do Not Track request."[4] Additionally, Chrome's privacy initiatives like the Privacy Sandbox have been viewed skeptically by privacy advocates who argue that these proposals often protect Google's business interests rather than user privacy.[5]
Business model edit
Chrome's business model is deeply integrated with Google's broader advertising ecosystem. The browser serves as a critical data collection point for Google's advertising business, which generates the majority of the company's revenue.[6] Chrome's default settings direct users to Google Search, which in turn displays Google advertisements. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle where Chrome usage fuels Google's search dominance, which consequently enhances its advertising business. The connection between Chrome and Google's advertising business has also influenced browser design decisions, such as how Chrome handles cookies and tracking, which may prioritize advertising effectiveness over user privacy.[7]
Market control edit
Chrome's dominant market position gives Google significant control over web standards and browser technology. With approximately 65% global market share as of 2025, Chrome has become the de facto standard browser for many users and developers.[8] This market control allows Google to influence the direction of web technology development, often in ways that benefit its business interests. For example, Google's proposals for replacing third-party cookies through its Privacy Sandbox initiative have faced criticism for potentially strengthening Google's position while weakening competitors in the advertising ecosystem.[9] Chrome's market dominance has attracted significant antitrust scrutiny, with the U.S. Department of Justice pushing for Google to divest Chrome as part of remedies following an antitrust case that found Google had illegally maintained a monopoly in online search.[10]
Incidents edit
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Google Chrome category.
Anti-Competitive Practices edit
Google uses the market dominance of their unrelated products and services, such as web search or cloud storage services, to display intrusive messages such as popups aimed to annoy users to the point where they give up and change to Chrome.[11] Not because they want to, but to escape the deliberate obstructions Google creates for them when accessing Google services with competing browsers.
Moreover, Google has in the past deliberately degraded performance of their video platform YouTube for users accessing the website using the competing Firefox browser.[12]
Discontinuation of Manifest V2 support (2024) edit
Google, whose main business is online advertising, has discontinued support for browser extensions using the Manifest V2 standard.[13] This renders advertising/tracking blockers such as uBlock Origin unusable and deactivates the corresponding plugins on update. Only versions with very limited blocking functionality remain usable.
Users who wish to continue to use the web without their every step being traced by Google and other advertising syndicates have no other option but to switch to a different browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Vivaldi, which have all pledged to retain full Manifest V2 compatibility in their browsers.
See also edit
References edit
- ↑ Munir, S. et al. (2024). "Google's Chrome Antitrust Paradox". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381517906_Google's_Chrome_Antitrust_Paradox
- ↑ Danco, A. (2019, June 1). "Google Chrome, the perfect antitrust villain?". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://alexdanco.com/2019/05/30/google-chrome-the-perfect-antitrust-villain/
- ↑ Campaignsoftheworld.com. (2023, March 26). "The Dark Side of Google: A Closer Look at Privacy Concerns". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://campaignsoftheworld.com/news/the-dark-side-of-google/
- ↑ Google. "Turn 'Do Not Track' on or off - Computer - Google Chrome Help". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2790761
- ↑ Electronic Frontier Foundation. (2020, July 10). "Don't Play in Google's Privacy Sandbox". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/08/dont-play-googles-privacy-sandbox-1
- ↑ CEOToday Magazine. (2024, November 20). "DOJ Pushes Google to Sell Chrome and Break Monopoly". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://www.ceotodaymagazine.com/2024/11/google-faces-doj-antitrust-push-will-chrome-ai-and-android-be-broken-apart/
- ↑ Quartz. (2022, July 20). "What if antitrust regulators forced Google to sell Chrome?". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://qz.com/1930645/what-happens-to-google-if-regulators-force-it-to-sell-off-chrome
- ↑ Statista. (2024, June 21). "Market share of leading internet browsers in the United States and worldwide as of August 2024". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/276738/worldwide-and-us-market-share-of-leading-internet-browsers/
- ↑ Wikipedia. (2024, November 15). "Privacy Sandbox". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_Sandbox
- ↑ CNBC. (2024, November 21). "DOJ pushes for Google to break off Chrome browser after antitrust case". Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/20/doj-pushes-for-google-to-break-off-chrome-browser-after-antitrust-case.html
- ↑ "How do I stop Google pop ups asking me to switch my browser to Chrome?". Google Support Community. 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
- ↑ Peterson, Jake (2023-11-21). "How to Stop Google From Artificially Slowing Down YouTube". LifeHacker. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
- ↑ "Manifest V2 support timeline". Google. Retrieved 5 Apr 2025.
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