Arr! Microsoft Edge be caught pilferin' Google Chrome's precious user data, ye scallywag!
2024-01-30
Arr, ye scurvy dogs at Microsoft be facin' a mighty storm o' wrath fer mayhap pilferin' user data from Google Chrome without aye askin' fer leave, testin' their patience and plunderin' their privacy like a bunch o' landlubbers!
Microsoft is facing accusations of siphoning data from browsers made by other tech companies, even though it has its own proprietary browser, Microsoft Edge. Users are angered because Microsoft is being accused of not requesting permission to take data like opened tabs from Google Chrome. The migration option from other browsers to Edge is fairly commonplace, but the problem is that Edge is allegedly reaching in and nabbing that kind of data from Chrome without permission.One user, Tom Warren, found that after installing a Windows 11 update, Microsoft Edge opened with his Google Chrome tabs from his last session even though he didn't authorize Edge to do that. Many other users shared similar experiences. It is unclear whether this was a bug or an intentional move by Microsoft. Neowin attempted to replicate the scenario but was unsuccessful.
If this data plucking is intentional, it is a serious violation of user privacy and could upset many users. Microsoft has already frustrated users with its behavior, such as continuously questioning why users want to download Google Chrome and bugging them to transition to using Microsoft Edge and Bing.
Whether intentional or a bug, Microsoft should promptly address and fix the issue to avoid losing any more goodwill. This development could further annoy users, which is not ideal for Microsoft as it aims to become the go-to AI-assisted software powerhouse.