Funding the Web: From Cartel to Covenant
The article discusses the funding system for web browsers, which relies on a search levy from search engines. While this system has kept browsers free and functional, it has also led to monopolistic practices and various negative consequences for the digital ecosystem. The report suggests restructuring the levy under better governance to improve the overall health of the web.
- ▪Over five billion people use browsers without paying for them, despite the complexity and cost of browser engines.
- ▪The search levy allows search engines to fund browsers, creating a mutually beneficial arrangement that has also led to market concentration and reduced quality.
- ▪The report outlines the need for better governance of the existing funding system to mitigate its negative impacts and ensure a healthier digital environment.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Back to site Funding The Web From Cartel to Covenant Robin Berjon 2026-05-08 supramundane agency. Browsers, and the browser engines that power them, provide critical public infrastructure to over five billion people and yet no one pays for their browser. To cover the high cost of maintaining such highly complex products, browser vendors and search engine providers have developed a system in which money is levied from search revenue and distributed to browsers. This arrangement benefits both: browsers don’t have an obvious revenue model and web search engines are only relevant to the extent that the web itself is, which in turn requires a high-quality, frictionless browsing experience.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Ftw.
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