Microsoft Edge below hearth for stealing Chrome browser tabs

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 techniques to realize 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 line 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 current 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 flexibility to import information from Google Chrome each time you launch it. This manner, you’ll be able to “at all times have entry to your current searching information” in Microsoft personal phrases. Nevertheless, Warren claims that he had this characteristic turned off, and he by no means obtained 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 analogous challenge, you’ll be able to 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 robotically opened Microsoft Edge with all of the Chrome tabs I had open earlier than putting in the replace ð² could not consider 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 techniques to spice up Edge’s adoption. From forcing Edge on customers via 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, resembling Collections, Immersive Reader, and Vertical Tabs – to not point out all of the new AI goodies. Nevertheless, resorting to underhanded techniques is probably not one of the best ways to win hearts and minds, and should backfire in the long term.

Fortuitously, for these weary of Edge’s antics, aid could also be on the horizon, at the least 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 massive tech’s dominance.