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confirmed
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NotARobot06 (talk | contribs)
confirmed
40 edits
copying the info on the Microsoft's anticompetitive practices page verbatim. formatting is a mess so I will promptly fix it
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|Eliminated key search features in ''365'', forcing users to pay $30/month for ''Copilot'' access, sparking backlash from businesses and educators
|Eliminated key search features in ''365'', forcing users to pay $30/month for ''Copilot'' access, sparking backlash from businesses and educators
|The FTC and DOJ are reportedly investigating, with Elon Musk alleging antitrust violations in its ''OpenAI'' partnership
|The FTC and DOJ are reportedly investigating, with Elon Musk alleging antitrust violations in its ''OpenAI'' partnership
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|Harassing users into using Edge
|2020 - Unknown
|In 2020, users for [[Windows|Windows 10]] faced repeated harassment from Edge to use this browser instead of the user's chosen default browser.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=2020-07-02 |title=Microsoft just sank to a new low by shoving Edge down our throats |url=https://www.theverge.com/21310611/microsoft-edge-browser-forced-update-chromium-editorial |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702205823/https://www.theverge.com/21310611/microsoft-edge-browser-forced-update-chromium-editorial |archive-date=2020-07-02 |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=The Verge}}</ref> Some examples included the browser opening on startup, the browser being forced into full screen, being incapable of closing the browser until the user acknowledges the pop-up, and the browser pinning itself to the taskbar
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|Prompts to stop users from installing competing browsers
|2021 - Present
|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 web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=2021-12-02 |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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202114904/https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/2/22813733/microsoft-windows-edge-download-chrome-prompts |archive-date=2021-12-02 |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=The Verge}}</ref>  Some of the messages of these pop-ups include<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sen |first=Sayan |date=2021-12-02 |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/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202081952/https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-says-its-own-edge-browser-is-more-trustworthy-than-so-2008-google-chrome/ |archive-date=2021-12-02 |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=Neowin}}</ref>:<blockquote>“Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft.”
“That browser is so 2008! Do you know what’s new? Microsoft Edge.”
“‘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]]'', and frequently aims to directly harm the market share of Chrome<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=2023-10-25 |title=Microsoft now thirstily injects a poll when you download Google Chrome |url=https://www.theverge.com/23930960/microsoft-edge-google-chrome-poll-why-try-another-browser |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231025001842/https://www.theverge.com/23930960/microsoft-edge-google-chrome-poll-why-try-another-browser |archive-date=2023-10-25 |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=The Verge}}</ref>, despite the browser itself running on the same codebase as ''[[Chromium]]''.
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|Increasing the difficulty to switch default browsers
|2021 - Present
|After an update in 2021, computers running ''[[Windows 11]]'' had the systems that handled modifying the web browser defaults.<ref name=":03">{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=Aug 18, 2021 |title=Microsoft is making it harder to switch default browsers in Windows 11 |url=https://www.theverge.com/22630319/microsoft-windows-11-default-browser-changes |access-date=Jun 21, 2025 |work=The Verge}}</ref> Rather than allow the user to simply switch the default web browser, file types typically accessed via web browsers, such as HTM, HTML, SVG, and more have to be individually modified to have the default opening application changed. This has angered companies maintaining competing web browsers<ref name=":03" /><!--If we can get the notes feature added, this should be a useful note to include:
“We have been increasingly worried about the trend on Windows,” says Selena Deckelmann, senior vice president of Firefox, in a statement to The Verge. “Since Windows 10, users have had to take additional and unnecessary steps to set and retain their default browser settings. These barriers are confusing at best and seem designed to undermine a user’s choice for a non-Microsoft browser.”--><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lockheimer |first=Hiroshi |date=Aug 18, 2021 |title=Tweet from Hiroshi Lockheimer |url=https://x.com/lockheimer/status/1428047760620621831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1428047760620621831%7Ctwgr%5E9ac6cc57ee0013acb388128e04c3a43f4cd79c94%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F22630319%2Fmicrosoft-windows-11-default-browser-changes |access-date=Jun 21, 2025 |website=X, formerly [[Twitter]]}}</ref> and consumers alike over this change.
Even if users modify all of these default settings, other features on the device, such as the taskbar's weather widget, which if opened, will create a new tab specifically in ''[[Microsoft Edge|Edge]]''.<ref name=":03" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=Apr 22, 2021 |title=Microsoft’s new Windows 10 taskbar widget starts rolling out today |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/22/22397237/microsoft-windows-10-taskbar-weather-news-widget-feature-available-now |access-date=Jun 21, 2025 |work=The Verge}}</ref><!--Another note to add under [9]
Windows 11 continues this trend, with search still forcing users into Edge, and now a new dedicated widgets area that also ignores the default browser setting. “It appears that Windows 11 widgets will ignore a user’s default browser choice and open Microsoft Edge for the content instead,” says a Brave spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. “Brave puts users first and we condemn this Windows 11 approach, because the choice of a default browser has many implications for individuals and their privacy. Users should be free to choose.”-->Microsoft attempts to justify this by stating:<ref name=":03" /><blockquote>“With Windows 11, we are implementing customer feedback to customize and control defaults at a more granular level, eliminating app categories and elevating all apps to the forefront of the defaults experience,” “As evidenced by this change, we’re constantly listening and learning, and welcome customer feedback that helps shape Windows. Windows 11 will continue to evolve over time; if we learn from user experience that there are ways to make improvements, we will do so.”</blockquote>
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=== Bing web search ===
==== Attempting to harm competing web browsers ====
|2023 - Unknown
|When doing a web search for an alternative web browser through ''[[Microsoft Bing|Bing]]'', ''[[Microsoft]]''<nowiki/>'s in-house developed [[wikipedia:Search_engine|search engine]] that is also used as the default for ''[[Microsoft Edge|Edge]]'', the [[wikipedia:Search_engine|search engine]]'s AI will attempt to bury the search results for the web browser from the user.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=Jun 6, 2023 |title=Microsoft has no shame: Bing spit on my ‘Chrome’ search with a fake AI answer |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/6/23736289/microsoft-bing-chrome-search-fake-ai-chatbot |access-date=Jun 21, 2025 |work=The Verge}}</ref>
Beyond this, users specifically using both ''[[Microsoft Edge|Edge]]'' and its [[Microsoft Bing|default search engine]] will continue to see harassment at the top of the search, attempting to keep the user on the browser.
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|Disguising itself as another search engine<!--I want to see more elaboration here - JamesTDG-->
|2025 - Present
|Currently, when a user does a web search for "[[Google]]", the search engine will disguise itself as a generic search engine that would appear to look like Google in the eyes of the average user.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=Jan 6, 2025 |title=Microsoft is using Bing to trick people into thinking they’re on Google |url=https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/6/24337117/microsoft-bing-search-results-google-design-trick |access-date=Jun 21, 2025 |work=The Verge}}</ref>
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