Google on Wednesday promoted the Google Firefox Toolbar on its homepage to those using Microsoft's Internet Explorer to access the site, according to a post by Candace Lombardi in the CNET blog. Though Spread Firefox touted the move as the first time an ad had appeared on the nearly sacrosanct page, a Google spokesperson told Lombardi that "This promotion is an extension of the Firefox referrals through (the) AdSense program we announced last year."

She also explained that "Google occasionally promotes products on its home page and is currently running a promotion for Firefox with Google Toolbar."

According to Google, the open-source web browser is not the first product to be thus promoted: Google Pack as well as NBA and CBS content on Google Video, for example, have been promoted on the google homepage.