In context: Microsoft Edge is accused of stealing information from rival browser Chrome with out customers’ consent. This raises privateness and safety considerations, in addition to some questions on Microsoft’s ways to achieve market share. Is it only a bug or is there one thing extra sinister at play?
Microsoft Edge is again within the highlight – however not for what you’d assume. In keeping with a number of disgruntled customers, Edge has been caught red-handed snatching open tabs and different information from Chrome with out a lot as a by-your-leave. Tom Warren from The Verge recounted his personal ordeal, claiming that Edge surreptitiously hijacked his Chrome tabs throughout two gadgets following latest Home windows updates.
To make issues worse, the browser did not even attempt to cowl its tracks, boldly launching itself with all of the ill-gotten tabs in tow, as if nothing had occurred.
Edge does provide the power to import information from Google Chrome each time you launch it. This fashion, you possibly can “at all times have entry to your latest looking information” in Microsoft personal phrases. Nonetheless, Warren claims that he had this characteristic turned off, and he by no means bought a immediate to allow it.
This means that the characteristic could also be malfunctioning and working past the consumer’s management, violating their privateness and preferences. When you’ve encountered an identical subject, you possibly can go to edge://settings/profiles/importBrowsingData and disable the characteristic.
I put in the most recent Home windows 11 replace (KB5034204) and it rebooted and mechanically opened Microsoft Edge with all of the Chrome tabs I had open earlier than putting in the replace ð² could not imagine my eyes. Anybody else had this?
– Tom Warren (@tomwarren) January 24, 2024
This is not the primary time Microsoft has been accused of using questionable ways to spice up Edge’s adoption. From forcing Edge on customers by means of Home windows updates to sneaky prompts when trying to obtain Chrome, the corporate has a monitor report of aggressive browser promotion.
Regardless of these (minor) controversies, Edge does have its deserves. It boasts a modern interface and a few nifty options, akin to Collections, Immersive Reader, and Vertical Tabs – to not point out all the brand new AI goodies. Nonetheless, resorting to underhanded ways will not be the easiest way to win hearts and minds, and should backfire in the long term.
Fortuitously, for these weary of Edge’s antics, reduction could also be on the horizon, a minimum of for EU customers. Quickly, they’re going to have the choice to bid adieu to Edge with a easy right-click within the Begin menu, due to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which pulls the reins on large tech’s dominance.
