Microsoft Cheating and Breaking the Law Again
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Mozilla slams Microsoft for driving Windows users to Edge • The Register
Mozilla on Thursday accused Microsoft of forcing its Edge browser down the throats of Windows users through "dark patterns" – design elements geared to push people towards certain decisions.
In a report [PDF] titled, "Over the Edge: How Microsoft's Design Tactics Compromise Free Browser Choice", the public benefit browser org argues that Windows users are encouraged to use Microsoft Edge and deterred from other options.
Mozilla has made similar claims before – notably in its September 2022 "Five Walled Gardens" report and its "Platform Tilt" report last month. Those reports covered wider competitive barriers present in platforms operated by Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
"Over the Edge" focuses specifically on Microsoft Edge and alleges manipulative design patterns – sometimes referred to as "dark patterns" or "deceptive patterns" – that push people towards a preferred outcome when presented with a choice in a visual interface. Other tech operators, such as Amazon, have also been accused of using dark pattern designs – which persist, despite laws aimed at limiting such trickery.
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Proton Mail says that the new Outlook app for Windows is Microsoft’s new data collection service - gHacks Tech News
Proton Mail says that the new Outlook app for Windows is a privacy nightmare for users, as the app shares the data with advertisers.