Microsoft recently stopped using a misleading user interface on its Bing search engine when users searched with the keyword “Google.” This imitated Google’s home page by displaying a search bar, an image reminiscent of a Google Doodle and text below the bar. These elements gave users the impression that they were on the web giant’s famous search engine. The illusion was enhanced by slight automatic scrolling of the page, which hid the Bing search bar at the top of the results. This interface was recently discovered by Reddit users.
Microsoft has not reacted publicly to this imitation of Google’s interface, unlike its major competitor, notes The Verge: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but the fact that Microsoft imitates the Google page “Google’s welcome is another tactic in its long history of tricks to confuse users and limit choice,” criticized Parisa Tabriz, head of Chrome at Google, in a publication on the X network last week.
This incident is part of a series of strategies deployed by Microsoft to promote Bing and its Edge web browser. These include changes to Google Chrome download sites, as well as the display of persistent pop-up windows to discourage users from opting for Google, recalls the specialist site.
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