Overview
- Mozilla published a follow-up report on July 16 that was written by independent researchers Harry Brignull and Cennydd Bowles and concludes Microsoft deploys persistent “harmful design” to steer Windows users to Edge.
- The study documents concrete tactics: banner prompts on Chrome download pages, Copilot opening links in Edge instead of the user’s default browser, pre-selected checkboxes that sync data to Edge, and Windows 10-to-11 migrations that can reset Edge as the default.
- Researchers tested behavior in the United States, United Kingdom, India and Germany and found the worst interference outside the European Economic Area, where regulatory rules have forced Microsoft to drop some but not all of the patterns.
- Mozilla and industry groups warn the tactics use Windows’ platform power to tilt browser choice, which can harm smaller rivals like Firefox and shape which services collect browsing data on billions of Windows devices.
- The report calls on Microsoft to stop the practices worldwide and urges regulators in the EU, UK, US, India and elsewhere to consider enforcement or rules similar to those in the EEA; no new legal action has been announced so far.