antitrust regulations

Opera has filed a formal antitrust complaint against Microsoft with Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), alleging that Microsoft uses its dominant position in the operating system market to unfairly promote Microsoft Edge. The complaint claims that pre-installing Edge on Windows devices prevents rival browsers from gaining preinstallation opportunities, creating an uneven competitive landscape. Opera also criticizes Microsoft for employing user interface design tactics, referred to as "dark patterns," that discourage users from downloading alternative browsers. Additionally, Opera highlights persistent prompts in Windows 11 that encourage users to adopt Edge, infringing on user autonomy. Opera is urging CADE to investigate Microsoft’s practices and has previously filed a lawsuit against the European Commission regarding the Digital Markets Act exemption for Edge. Microsoft has announced changes in response to regulatory scrutiny but Opera believes more comprehensive measures are needed globally.