Microsoft has launched a new rewards program offering Chrome users “real cash value” points to switch to Edge browser[1]. When users search for “Chrome” on Bing, they receive a prompt offering 1,300 Microsoft Rewards points that can be exchanged for gift cards, including on Amazon[1:1].
The Browser Choice Alliance, representing Chrome, Opera and Vivaldi, criticizes this as Microsoft’s latest tactic to manipulate browser choice, following earlier practices like “forced resets, misleading prompts, and hidden settings”[1:2].
The market context shows why Microsoft is pursuing this strategy - Edge holds less than 9% market share compared to Chrome’s 78%[1:3]. The rewards program appears targeted specifically at Chrome users, with Windows Latest noting “we’re not seeing ads for other browsers, such as Opera, Firefox or Brave”[1:4].
@aeternum @technology Remember “don’t be evil” ? I’m thinking that’s not the company slogan anymore.
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@aeternum I’m a workspace user and after the news the other day, about them helping ICE with facial recognition, I want out so bad. . . Looking for alternatives, and I’m a die hard Mac user, so 365 is a hard pass.
From the news. . . “This includes hosting a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants and removing community-developed apps that alerted people to ICE activity. “