Opera has filed a complaint with Brazil’s antitrust authority CADE, accusing Microsoft of giving its Edge browser an unfair advantage by making it the default on Windows devices.
The complaint, submitted on Tuesday, claims this practice limits competition and prevents users from easily choosing alternative browsers.
Opera said Microsoft’s actions include pre-installing Edge across Windows systems and offering incentives to PC makers to avoid installing other browsers. The company also alleged that Microsoft uses design tactics to steer users away from competitors like Opera.
Opera is the third-most popular desktop browser in Brazil, with a market share of 6.78% in June, compared to Edge’s 11.52% and Chrome’s 75%, according to StatCounter.
Opera’s general counsel, Aaron McParlan, said browsers like Opera are excluded from key pre-installation deals and that Microsoft makes it difficult for users to download and switch to other browsers.
This is not the first time Opera has challenged Microsoft’s browser practices. In 2007, Opera filed a similar complaint with the European Commission, which led to a €561 million fine for Microsoft. Last year, Opera also challenged the EU’s decision to exempt Edge from the Digital Markets Act.
Microsoft has not yet commented on the latest complaint. Opera is asking CADE to investigate the issue and to take steps to ensure fair competition in the Brazilian market.
