- Microsoft has been accused of using an underhanded trick to drive traffic to Bing
- In certain situations, searching for “Google” on Bing will produce a results page that closely resembles the Google home page.
- Critics argue that this could lead to people searching through Bing instead of Google without knowing it.
Microsoft has been accused of using underhanded tricks that boost usage of the Bing search engine at Google’s expense, and the outcry has prompted a senior Google employee to speak out.
According to Windows Latest, people who searched on Google using Edge or Chrome web browsers with Bing set as their default search engine would get a results page that looked a lot like Google’s home page, instead of the results page. Bing regular.
When Bing returns search results, Microsoft has apparently made a change so that the Bing search bar, which is normally at the top of the results list, has had an image added to it, sort of like a Google doodle.
This has led some on the Internet to accuse Microsoft of making it look like the Google home page has loaded, and even suggest that the web page is loaded in such a way that the ‘Microsoft Bing’ logo and bar on the top are hidden. far.
This could cause users to go ahead and perform a search using the Bing bar, while thinking they are using Google.
The reaction has been quick and expressive, and even a senior Google employee has intervened.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but Microsoft’s spoofing of Google’s home page is another tactic in its long history of tricks to confuse users and limit options. New Year; new low @Microsoft https://t.co/LKSNNKB7HyJanuary 6, 2025
This is an important intervention and, furthermore, surprising. Parisa Tabriz is VP of Chrome at Google and she’s making some bold accusations, even going so far as to label Microsoft. It’s not often you see high-level employees involved in accusations that (as far as we know) are far from substantiated.
The fact that Tabriz has commented on this, probably with senior Google staff aware, suggests that Google is not happy about this. However, we should not rush to judgment, and Google should be careful about amplifying accusations against a major rival (and one with which Google frequently collaborates).
Analysis: an unedifying dispute
Neither Google nor Microsoft emerge particularly well from this situation. There’s no denying that the ‘Google’ results page using Bing looks a lot like the Google home page (we’ve tested it here ourselves), with the usual Bing branding dimming as the page loads slightly down. Perhaps the most damning aspect is that this only happens when you search “Google.” Other searches (we tried ‘hats’) give you the default Bing page.
Microsoft’s past attempts to get people to use its services mean that many people are reluctant to give it the benefit of the doubt, but regardless of your opinion of the company, we should note that there is no evidence that it is try a deliberate ploy to trick users into using Bing instead of Google.
This makes Tabriz’s comment even more risky, especially because due to her position at the company, many people could assume that her comments reflect the views of Google, and that leads to accusations of hypocrisy.
Google’s rise to the top of the search engine and browser markets has led to accusations of limiting user options with tactics that some describe as unfair.
So while Microsoft’s motivations should definitely be questioned, Google should also be careful not to throw too many stones from its own glass house. We’ve reached out to Microsoft and Google for their responses to these allegations and will update this story when we hear back.
As for users who just want to search the Internet in peace, this is a reminder that, like most things you do on the Internet, you should always make sure you are using the website or service you trust, by double checking before entering. in any information.
Via 9 to 5 Google
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