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| {{Incomplete|Issue 1=Needs more incidents listed!}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Microsoft]] |
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| The software company ''[[Microsoft]]'' has had a history of harming its competition on devices running ''[[Windows]]''. This is a historical list of every incident where ''[[Microsoft]]'' has harmed its competition
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| ==Background==
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| Soon after the introduction of applications that came preinstalled with ''[[Windows]]'', ''[[Microsoft]]'' has had the incentive to force users into the native applications installed, rather than any third-party programs. As an example, with the release of [[Windows|''Windows 10'']], the preinstalled web browser [[Microsoft Edge|''Microsoft Edge'']] has had a litany of incidents where the web browser forced users into using it rather than the browser the user installed.
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| == History of incidents<!-- I request that this section is organized chronologically, where the product with the oldest incident is focused at the top! - JamesTDG --> ==
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| === Microsoft Edge<!-- Because many of these are 1:1 copy/pastes, the references will need to be reformatted, and be far more descriptive. --><!-- Bonus sources to integrate: https://www.theverge.com/22630319/microsoft-windows-11-default-browser-changes | https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/6/23736289/microsoft-bing-chrome-search-fake-ai-chatbot (maybe handle under bing instead?) | https://www.theverge.com/23930960/microsoft-edge-google-chrome-poll-why-try-another-browser --> ===
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| ==== Resetting primary browser: 2017 - Present<!-- A series of additional sources to integrate later: https://www.theverge.com/21310611/microsoft-edge-browser-forced-update-chromium-editorial | --> ====
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| [[Microsoft Edge|''Edge'']] has frequently been resetting the default browser to itself<ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/default-browser-keeps-changing-to-edge/25e2939d-4674-40ab-b05a-6161e2297976 "Default Browser Keeps Changing to Edge"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> without consent from the user.<ref name=":1">[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-update-reset-my-computer-settings/e58bcee8-f4c9-40ef-a452-1dc5db7c45d9 "Windows 10 Update Reset my Computer Settings."] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> While there are methods available online to disable this,<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/15zbjar/default_browser_keeps_changing_to_microsoft_edge/ "Default browser keeps changing to Microsoft Edge after every PC restart. Win 11, tried everything"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> it is tedious to achieve, especially for users who are not tech-savvy.
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| ==== Inability to permanently delete: 2018 - Present ====
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| During major updates for ''[[Windows]]'', users have been reporting their installations of [[Microsoft Edge|''Edge'']] being reinstalled to their devices without their consent.<ref>[https://www.windowscentral.com/how-prevent-microsoft-edge-chromium-installing-automatically-windows-10 "How to prevent new Microsoft Edge from installing automatically on Windows 10"] - windowscentral.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>
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| ==== Importing content from other browsers without consent: 2020 - Unknown ====
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| Users have reported on frequent occasions that [[Microsoft Edge|''Edge'']] has imported user data from browsers such as [[Google Chrome|''Chrome'']] and [[Mozilla Firefox|''Firefox'']] without first requesting consent from the user.<ref>[https://www.komando.com/news/microsoft-edge-caught-importing-data/ "Microsoft caught importing data before you give the OK"] - komando.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>
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| ==== Prompts to stop users from installing competing browsers: 2021 - Present ====
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| [[File:MS Edge pop-up.png|thumb|A [https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/2/22813733/microsoft-windows-edge-download-chrome-prompts screenshot] that shows an example of Edge harassing the user into using Edge.]]
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| Since '''December 2021''', users who install other web browsers, such as ''[[Google Chrome|Chrome]], [[Brave browser|Brave]], or [[Opera web browser|Opera]],'' will face a pop-up on their screen telling users to instead use [[Microsoft Edge|''Edge'']].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=Dec 2, 2021 |title=Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/2/22813733/microsoft-windows-edge-download-chrome-prompts |access-date=Jun 21, 2025 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Some of the messages of these pop-ups include:<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sen |first=Sayan |date=Dec 2, 2021 |title=Microsoft says its own Edge browser is more trustworthy than "so 2008" Google Chrome |url=https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-says-its-own-edge-browser-is-more-trustworthy-than-so-2008-google-chrome/ |access-date=Jun 21, 2025 |work=Neowin}}</ref><blockquote>“Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft.”
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| “That browser is so 2008! Do you know what’s new? Microsoft Edge.”
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| “‘I hate saving money,’ said no one ever. Microsoft Edge is the best browser for online shopping.”</blockquote>This has been reported to occur on devices running either ''[[Windows|Windows 10]]'' or ''[[Windows|Windows 11]]'',
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| === Family Safety ===
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| ==== Blocking Chrome from launching: 2025 - Present<!-- Want to expand this one later... - JamesTDG --> ====
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| A feature seen within ''[[Windows|Windows 11]]''<nowiki/>'s parental controls is Family Safety. A key problem shown from this feature is that it can questionably ban certain applications from properly running on the device, with no notice to the administrator in charge of the device. In '''June 2025''', this feature banned the string "Chrome",<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=u/Witty-Discount-2906 |date=Jun 3, 2025 |title=Chrome won’t open (Windows 11) |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/chrome/comments/1l2c552/comment/mvt1w2a/ |access-date=Jun 20, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> which blocked the web browser [[Google Chrome|''Chrome'']] from functioning.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=Jun 20, 2025 |title=Microsoft is blocking Google Chrome through its family safety feature |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/690179/microsoft-block-google-chrome-family-safety-feature |access-date=Jun 20, 2025 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Schools in particular use this feature on devices given out for students to complete classwork remotely, and as [[Google Chrome|''Chrome'']] holds the majority market share of web browser usage, (65-70%)<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 1, 2025 |title=Browser Market Share Worldwide |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/ |access-date=Jun 20, 2025 |website=Statcounter}}</ref> there has been mass reports of students being unable to complete their classwork strictly due to this flaw.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Priestley |first=Peter |date=Jun 4, 2025 |title=Microsoft Family Safety Blocking Chrome Browser |url=https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_11-wintop_famsafety/microsoft-family-safety-blocking-chrome-browser/40023ef5-177b-4eed-a857-80ed15afa3a5?rtAction=1749008739548&page=1 |access-date=Jun 20, 2025 |work=Microsoft Answers}}</ref>
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| Currently, ''Microsoft'' has neglected to inform users on rolling out a fix in the future,<ref>{{Cite web |date=Jun 3, 2025 |title=[User Feedback - Stable] M137 Windows - Increase in feedback about crashing |url=https://issues.chromium.org/issues/422222571 |access-date=Jun 20, 2025 |website=Chromium issues}}</ref> and the only solutions available to users is to either rename the executable on the affected device<ref name=":3" /> or disable "Block inappropriate browsing" inside the ''Family Safety'' settings.<ref name=":4" />
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| === Bing web search <!-- Source to integrate: https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/6/24337117/microsoft-bing-search-results-google-design-trick --> ===
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| {{Placeholder box|[[mw:Help:VisualEditor/User_guide#Editing_categories|Add a category]] with the same name as the product, service, website, software, product line or company that this article is about.
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| The "Incidents" category is not needed.}}
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