In 2006, the word ‘google’ was added to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary under the definition: ‘to use the Google search engine to obtain information on the World Wide Web.’ From hoover to uber to, of course, google, it’s clear a product has become ubiquitous when it reaches verb status in our lexicon.
With Google’s brand now synonymous with searching the internet, it’s unsurprising that the tech giant was accused of running a monopoly by the US government on August 8th, 2024. Over 70 percent of internet users choose Chrome as their web browser, indicating undeniable market dominance. When one product controls the market, it’s easy to raise prices or make it impossible for competitors to break through. What’s more, if that product suddenly cut off its services, the majority of the population would be in the lurch.
What does a monopoly like Google’s mean for internet users? How do we untangle ourselves from the web of Google products? And what sustainable, ethical browser alternatives are out there? RESET put these questions and more to Andy Davies, freelance website developer and Curiously Green Manager at sustainable web agency Wholegrain Digital.
How can we ensure a green digital future?
Growing e-waste, carbon emissions from AI, data centre water usage—is rampant digitalisation compatible with a healthy planet? Our latest project explores how digital tools and services can be developed with sustainability in mind.
RESET: The US Department of Justice ruled that Google is a monopoly. Why should users be concerned?
Andy Davies: I think users should be most concerned if meaningful action isn’t taken on the ruling. Essentially, the DOJ established that our ability to choose how we interact with the internet is being eroded by Google. Google owns too many of the platforms we use in our daily lives. It uses the data it collects from search, Gmail, GSuite, Youtube and Chrome to help maintain a monopolistic position. Some would argue that this data collation allows Google to offer better free services. But they’re not free; it’s just that the cost to us as users is more intangible than a subscription fee.
I see the concern as being that Google is acting in its own interests rather than in the broader holistic interests of its users. It’s a cliche to mention it, but if their company motto were still ‘Don’t be evil’, users might have fewer concerns.
Fighting the search monopoly with an open source index
On a mission to “break up the silo of a single search engine”, Professor Michael Granitzer and the team at the OpenWebSearch project are creating an open source index of web pages.
Read our interview with Michael to find out how the index is coming to life, and why it will create a “free, unbiased internet” for users.
What are the key concerns when choosing a browser? What browser would you recommend?
Personally, I look for a balance of useful features, privacy and performance. I use Firefox with modified privacy settings and extensions to try and keep the data harvested from my browsing to a minimum. As a web developer, I’ve found that Firefox allows me to access developer tools in a more useful way than Chromium-based browsers like Vivaldi or Brave. Others might disagree, but this subject is all about exercising the right to choose! I find Firefox gives me the right balance, but other users will have different requirements. I’m also aware of the symbiotic relationship between Mozilla and Firefox. My advice is to be curious and test other options away from Chrome and Safari.
Move away from Google with our guide to sustainable search engines
From carbon-intensive AI overviews to flimsy data protection to an overload of ads, choosing a search engine that simply answers your queries is trickier than ever. Luckily, we’ve put together a handy guide.
If a user is changing browsers, would you recommend changing search engines and cloud storage, too? How do these web services interact with one another?
Yes, I think it’s worth looking at all the platforms you use and making informed decisions. We’ve often used our default platforms for email, search and browsing for years, or even decades. We might have chosen them without much thought, and the ethos of the companies running them has probably changed over time. Moving away from them can be time-consuming and tricky.
That said, we can and should exercise agency and choice in how and where we spend our time online. Just because something is tricky or time-consuming doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing. Companies like Google rely on us choosing ease over friction to maintain their position. Take search as an example. Using Google search in a certain way can sometimes yield more useful results than Duck Duck Go or Ecosia, but that doesn’t mean it should be the default choice.
From browser to cloud: how to make the switch from Google Drive
If you’ve got a Google account, it’s likely you use Google Drive. Want to make the switch to a sustainable alternative? Here’s our guide to doing so with the ethical, green cloud service Nextcloud.
You mention in your article that ads in browsers lead to more consumption. Meanwhile, some browsers, such as Ecosia or Wave Browser, use profits for tree planting or ocean cleanups. Would you recommend ad-free browsing, or looking at ads, potentially consuming more, but knowing that the profits of the browser are then put to good use?
Broadly speaking, the use of ad revenues for charitable or restorative uses is better than them going to corporate profits. However, I tend to take the view that we are all exposed to too many consumerist messages both on and offline, and that we would be better off seeing much less of them. I’m also not naive; a completely or mainly ad-free internet would require huge structural and financial changes and would probably shrink hugely. I don’t necessarily see this as a bad thing, but I see the shortcomings of this too.
Ultimately, it comes down to balance. A lot of today’s browsing experience is set up to provide maximum opportunity for advertising. Social feeds are algorithmically controlled to feed ads and promoted messages, SERPs give more and more weight to paid results, and engagement is carefully maximised and exploited to allow for more ads and promotions. The internet was conceived as a tool for connection and information gathering. I’d like to see things swing back in this direction and away from the ubiquity of advertising, algorithms and paid promotions.
