Nonprofit search engine Ecosia offers $0 for control of Chrome

Ecosia, a Germany-based search engine and browser nonprofit, has made an offer to take control of Google's Chrome browser. This comes after the Department of Justice ruled that Google's search engine business constituted a monopoly, leading to questions about Chrome's future. Ecosia's proposal is unique – rather than buying Chrome outright, they would assume operational responsibility for the browser for ten years, with Google retaining ownership and intellectual property rights. Ecosia would dedicate 60% of Chrome's profits to climate and environmental projects, while the remaining 40% would be given back to Google. Although this idea may seem unconventional, it aligns with the existing relationship between Google and Ecosia, as Google already powers Ecosia's search engine and they have a revenue-sharing agreement. Handing over Chrome to a nonprofit could be beneficial for Google, both financially and in terms of public perception, compared to selling it to a for-profit rival.