Brazil’s antitrust regulator has opened an investigation into Microsoft after browser maker Opera filed a complaint accusing the company of anti-competitive behavior. The issue? Edge comes preinstalled on Windows, set as the default, and is reportedly hard to remove or replace—thanks to what Opera describes as “dark patterns” that push users to stick with Microsoft’s browser.
Opera filed the complaint on July 29, and Brazil’s CADE is now looking into whether Microsoft is unfairly squeezing out rivals by bundling Edge, pushing OEMs to ship it, and tightly integrating it with services like Microsoft 365 and its new Jumpstart AI program. Microsoft has until August 15 to respond.
Opera has a bit of history here—it helped trigger the EU’s infamous 2007 browser case, which forced Microsoft to introduce a “browser choice” screen and later pay a €561 million fine. Now, it’s calling for similar scrutiny in Brazil.
Chrome still dominates Brazil’s browser market with 75% share, but Microsoft Edge holds 11.5%, while Opera trails with just under 7%. Still, the company argues that Microsoft’s ecosystem lock-in is a problem worth challenging—especially as AI-powered tools like Jumpstart get folded deeper into Windows.
CADE’s inquiry could force Microsoft to explain how it’s using default settings, software bundling, and AI integration to shape user behavior—and whether that crosses the line into anti-competitive territory.
Opera, in its complaint filed on Tuesday, alleged that Microsoft pre-installs Edge as the default browser across Windows devices and computers.
ReplyDeleteOpera has a bit of history here—it helped trigger the EU’s infamous 2007 browser case, which forced Microsoft to introduce a “browser choice” screen and later pay a €561 million fine.
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