The U.S. Department of Justice has ruled that Google's search business is a monopoly and may require Google toSelling its Chrome browser business, various potential buyers began to appear in the market, includingIncluding OpenAI, Perplexity.ai and other companiesEcosia, a German-based search engine service with a public welfare goal, also proposed a rather unique solution at this time:Taking over Chrome browser business operations for "zero yuan".
Transforming Chrome into a foundation-run browser
According to Ecosia's proposal, after this "zero-dollar" transaction, the Chrome browser business will not be exchanged for huge amounts of money like a general merger and acquisition transaction. Instead, Google will retain ownership and intellectual property, and only hand over the browser operation responsibility to the Ecosia Foundation for a period of up to ten years.
During this period, Ecosia plans to invest 60% of Chrome's revenue in climate and environmental projects, with the remaining 40% returning to Google. Ecosia estimates that if the Chrome browser business generates up to $1 trillion in revenue over the next decade, Google will still be able to reap significant returns and improve its corporate image through a philanthropic management model.
Create a non-profit operating model
Ecosia is known for its philanthropic approach, with its search service donating advertising revenue to tree planting and environmental protection projects. Taking over Chrome would potentially make it the first major browser operated by a nonprofit organization. Ecosia believes this would not only prevent Chrome from falling into the hands of competitors, but could also impact user privacy, open web standards, and sustainable development.
On the surface, the "zero-dollar acquisition" proposal seems quite far-fetched, but considering the regulatory pressure Google currently faces, such a model may be a compromise solution that not only maintains Google's control over the Chrome browser, but also meets the outside world's calls for the "de-commercialization" of the Chrome browser business.
Existing cooperation basis
It is worth noting that there is aThere is already a basis for cooperationEcosia's search engine is powered by Google, which shares a portion of its revenue. Extending this relationship to the management of the Chrome browser business might be more palatable to Google than handing the browser over entirely to a competitor.
Outlook
Google has recently announced that it will appeal the ruling to maintain full control of Chrome. While Ecosia's proposal may sound bold and even unrealistic, it is an option that could win public support in an era where sustainability and transparency are paramount.
The future of Chrome's browser business is still full of variables, and the struggle over "who can control the world's most mainstream browser" is gradually entering a critical moment.
