Ecosia has offered to take ‘stewardship’ of Chrome. And it’s not a bad idea.

Christian Kroll, the CEO of the Berlin-based non-profit search engine Ecosia, has made a bold proposal regarding the future of Google’s Chrome browser. Rather than pushing for a sale to a competitor, Kroll suggests that his organization be granted a 10-year 'stewardship' of Chrome. This unconventional idea aims to address the ongoing legal challenges Google faces over its monopoly in internet search and advertising. On Thursday, Ecosia submitted its proposal to U.S. Judge Mehta, who is expected to deliver a ruling this month on potential remedies following a landmark decision that found Google to have an illegal monopoly. Among the remedies proposed by the Department of Justice is a divestment from Chrome, a move that Google has contested and plans to appeal. In the wake of this legal scrutiny, several competitors have expressed interest in acquiring Chrome, with Perplexity recently making a controversial cash offer of $34.5 billion, which many analysts deemed insufficient. RBC analyst Brad Erickson speculated that OpenAI might be willing to pay even more for the browser, underscoring the high stakes involved. Ecosia believes that Chrome could generate an astounding $1 trillion in revenue over the next decade, leading them to estimate that an auction could place its value in the hundreds of billions. Their proposal, while seemingly audacious, includes a commitment to allocate a substantial portion of the profits towards environmental initiatives, aligning with Ecosia's mission to support climate projects. Founded in 2009, Ecosia has established a reputation for donating millions each month and collaborating with local communities and NGOs across more than 35 countries. Their proposal outlines specific projects, including rainforest protection, global tree-planting efforts, and investments in green technology. Under Ecosia's stewardship plan, Google would retain intellectual property rights and could continue to be the default search engine, while also receiving a significant share of the profits. Kroll emphasizes that their intention is not merely to take over Chrome but to explore alternatives that would prevent the concentration of power and wealth within major tech companies. Ecosia already operates a browser built on the Chromium open-source platform, which powers Chrome, and has an existing revenue-sharing arrangement with Google. Kroll's vision includes maintaining employment for Chrome’s current staff, further highlighting Ecosia's commitment to a responsible transition. As the legal proceedings unfold, Kroll hopes that the judge will consider this innovative approach, challenging the conventional pathways of divestment that often reinforce the dominance of big tech. 'We have a track record of making the possible, possible,' he stated, suggesting that this initiative could lead to unexpected outcomes.