Microsoft: Difference between revisions
NotARobot06 (talk | contribs) move lawsuits to anticompetitive practices heading (expansion needed) |
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*Studies estimated that their monopoly led to consumers being overcharged by as much as 30 billion dollars in the 1990s.<ref name=":6" /> | *Studies estimated that their monopoly led to consumers being overcharged by as much as 30 billion dollars in the 1990s.<ref name=":6" /> | ||
== Anticompetitive | == Anticompetitive Lawsuits == | ||
=== US Department of Justice, U.S. v. Microsoft Corp. (1998-2001) === | === US Department of Justice, U.S. v. Microsoft Corp. (1998-2001) === | ||
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=== Ongoing UK Lawsuit for Overcharging Users when Using non Azure Cloud Services === | === Ongoing UK Lawsuit for Overcharging Users when Using non Azure Cloud Services === | ||
UK lawsuit alleges ''Windows Servers'' users were overcharged when using non ''Azure '' cloud services<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gerken |first=Tom |date=2024-12-03 |title=Microsoft faces £1bn class action case in UK over software prices |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20wjnxr5ldo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203111042/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20wjnxr5ldo |archive-date=2024-12-03 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=BBC}}</ref> | UK lawsuit alleges ''Windows Servers'' users were overcharged when using non ''Azure '' cloud services<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gerken |first=Tom |date=2024-12-03 |title=Microsoft faces £1bn class action case in UK over software prices |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20wjnxr5ldo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203111042/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20wjnxr5ldo |archive-date=2024-12-03 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=BBC}}</ref> | ||
== Anticompetitive Incidents == | |||
=== 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]]''. | |||
=== Bing search attempting to harm competing search engines (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.{{Citation needed}} | |||
=== Disguising itself as another search engine (2025 - Present))<!--I want to see more elaboration here - JamesTDG--> === | |||
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>Disguising itself as another search engine (2025 - Present))<!--I want to see more elaboration here - JamesTDG--> | |||
==Controversies== | ==Controversies== | ||
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|2020 - Unknown | |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 | |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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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> | 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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