Independent browser companies in the European Union are seeing a spike in users in the first month after EU legislation forced Alphabet’s Google, Microsoft, and Apple to make it easier for users to switch to rivals, according to data provided to Reuters by six companies.
The early results come after the EU’s sweeping Digital Markets Act, which aims to remove unfair competition, took effect on March 7, forcing big tech companies to offer mobile users the ability to select from a list of available web browsers from a “choice screen.”
Cyprus-based Aloha Browser said users in the EU jumped 250% in March - one of the first companies to give monthly growth numbers since the new regulations came in.
Norway’s Vivaldi, Germany’s Ecosia and U.S.-based Brave have also seen user numbers rise following the new regulation.
Seems unlikely that anyone is going to attempt to regulate browsers. But if they are, then they should begin by forcing them to block ads if the user says so. But that idea sounds too good to be possible.