Bing disguised as Google? This is the absurd technique that Microsoft has integrated into its Edge browser to avoid seeing Internet users using its competitor’s search engine. An original tip, but bordering on deception…
Failing to finalize them – the anarchic development of Windows 11 is striking proof… – Microsoft never seems to run out of ideas to promote its products. And if we can question the efficiency of its engineers, we can only applaud its marketers for their remarkable imagination. The latest example is the trick put in place to prevent Edge users from using Google instead of Bing, the in-house search engine. Spotted by our colleagues from Windows Centralthis technique, which is confusing to say the least, has at least the merit of innovating, as well as annoying. It adds to Microsoft’s long list of methods that are, to say the least, observable to promote, or even impose, its products in place of the competition.
Google in Bing: when Microsoft imitates its competitor
Microsoft has in fact recently implemented an unusual strategy to try to curb Google’s dominance in the field of search engines. This new maneuver, aimed at deceiving users, was spotted when they searched for the word “Google” on Bing.
Instead of simply redirecting Internet users to Google’s search engine as is normally the case, Bing presents them with an interface that strangely imitates that of its competitor. A centered logo, animations and a search box positioned in the middle of the screen: everything seems designed to resemble Google’s clean interface. The goal? Make users believe that they have already arrived on Google, thus encouraging them to stay on Bing without realizing it.
This approach may seem clever, but it quickly raised questions. Indeed, although Microsoft claims to want to improve the user experience, this imitation of Google is perceived by many as a subterfuge. While some users familiar with technology may quickly realize the deception and continue their search on Google, others, less savvy, may fall for it and continue using Bing, thinking they are on Google.
Microsoft’s strategy is part of a long-term battle to narrow the gap with Google, which remains the world’s dominant search engine. With almost 90% market share, Google has not only managed to establish itself as the default search engine for the majority of users, but its name has even become synonymous with online search. It’s difficult for Bing to compete with this overwhelming popularity, despite the numerous improvements made to the platform, particularly with the integration of new features based on artificial intelligence.
Google in Bing: a technique that questions
However, this Microsoft tactic raises a key question: how far can one go in trying to lure users away from a service? By hiding Bing’s true face behind a facade that mimics Google, Microsoft is crossing a blurry line between aggressive marketing and deception. Some users may feel duped, and this practice could be seen as an attempt to manipulate Internet users’ choices by preventing them from directly accessing the search engine they wish to use.
Of course, this is not Microsoft’s first attempt of this kind. For years, the Redmond firm has implemented various strategies to promote its own browser, Edge, and its Bing search engine. For example, in Windows 11, some links only open with Edge, even if another browser has been set as default.
This new initiative therefore sparks a debate on the ethics of the tactics used by technology companies to attract and retain users. On the one hand, Microsoft defends these changes as a way to offer alternatives to Internet users, but on the other, it is obvious that the line between persuasion and manipulation is sometimes very thin. Bing, despite its efforts, still appears to be desperately searching for a way to carve out a meaningful place for itself in a market largely dominated by Google.