Earlier in February, Mozilla accused Microsoft of using dark patterns to trick Windows users into installing the Edge browser. Mozilla claimed that the Redmond-based tech giant was forcing the Edge browser on Windows users using some design elements. These elements reportedly push people towards certain decisions, like installing the Edge browser for example.
Now, Microsoft is once again accused of using malpractices to trick users into installing the Edge browser. According to a report by The Register, Microsoft is marketing Edge to users of its Defender security suite with an unusual prompt.
Microsoft is tricking its Defender security suite users into installing Edge
As per the report, Microsoft is apparently increasing marketing of the Edge browser to users of its Defender security suite. The latest move from the company has drawn criticism for blurring the line between “advising and advertising”. The new prompt to use Edge shows up when Defender security suite users access Azure Functions on Chrome or other browsers.
The prompt to use Edge is designed to appear like a security recommendation, rather than showing up as an advertisement. “It’s both a dark pattern in the sense of disguising advertising as a security function and in the sense of leveraging Microsoft’s enterprise security platform market position to improve browser share”, mentions the report.
The deceptive prompt is promoting the ‘in-browser protection with Microsoft Edge for Business” tool
The deceptive prompt is steering users towards installing the company’s in-house Edge browser. It promotes a feature called ‘In-browser protection with Microsoft Edge for Business’. It clearly comes up on the screen disguised as a security recommendation rather than an ad. The tool is designed to help enterprise users separate their personal and business browsing profiles to keep their company’s information secure.
It’s worth mentioning that administrators have full control over the experience and can switch off this feature. However, the recommendation to use Edge is turned on by default in the Defender security suite.
Microsoft is trying hard to increase the market share of the Edge browser. According to Statcounter, Edge accounts for nearly 14 percent of desktop browsing sessions globally as of July 2024. Google’s Chrome takes the lead with around 65 percent of the market.
Apple’s Safari is on the third spot with approx. 9 percent of users. Mozilla’s Firefox has a market share of around 7 percent.