Friday, June 18, 1999

The Web Browser Competition Between Microsoft and Netscape is an Example of the Failure of Unregulated Markets to Provide Socially Desirable Outcomes

In the June 18, 1999 Salon article "Web wars
Did Bill Gates beat Netscape fair and square?
," Andrew Leonard describes how Microsoft used its market power to unfairly defeat Netscape in the market for web browsers. This is an example of how unregulated markets lead to some undesirable outcomes. Market power may allow one company to dominate a market in a way that is adverse to the interests and benefits of consumers and the general public.