Sections of this topic
In this article, we’ll look at the reasons behind the recent privacy concerns surrounding Microsoft Edge and its follow creator feature.
As users discovered, the browser has been leaking the sites you visit to Bing, raising major concerns about data privacy.
Key Takeaways:
- Microsoft Edge sends URLs of visited sites to Bing API.
- Poorly implemented follow creator feature is the culprit.
- The feature was intended for following specific content creators.
- Microsoft is investigating the issue and plans to address it.
Microsoft Edge’s Privacy Blunder
A recent discovery has left users concerned about their privacy while using Microsoft Edge.
It turns out that the browser is inadvertently sharing users’ browsing history with Bing, Microsoft’s search engine.
This alarming revelation has sparked a heated discussion on online platforms, especially Reddit, where users initially noticed this major privacy oversight.
The Misguided Follow Creator Feature
The root cause of the privacy slip-up lies in the implementation of Edge’s follow creator feature.
This feature, enabled by default, was designed to make it easy for users to follow their favorite content creators on YouTube and other websites.
However, a significant flaw in the execution of this feature has led to the browser sending the full URL of almost every visited site to Bing.
Microsoft’s intentions with the follow creator feature might have been well-meaning, but the execution is far from perfect.
Instead of only sharing the URLs of specific content creators’ pages, the feature is sharing nearly every domain users visit.
This design flaw has exposed the browsing history of countless users, raising justifiable concerns about data privacy.
Investigating the Issue: Microsoft’s Response
Once the privacy issue gained traction on Reddit and other online forums, Microsoft was quick to respond.
The company has acknowledged the problem and is actively looking into the matter.
Caitlin Roulston, director of communications at Microsoft, stated that the company is aware of the reports and is investigating.
They plan to take appropriate action to address any issues that are uncovered during the investigation.
Microsoft’s swift response to the issue is commendable. However, it is crucial for the company to provide clear answers to users’ concerns.
Many questions remain unanswered, such as why the URLs are being sent to Bing’s API service and how the browser ended up being configured to share such extensive browsing data.
Protecting Your Privacy: How to Disable the Feature
While Microsoft continues to investigate and resolve the privacy issue, users should take matters into their own hands to protect their browsing history.
Disabling the follow creator feature in Microsoft Edge is the best course of action to prevent your browsing data from being shared with Bing.
Follow these simple steps to disable the feature:
- Open Microsoft Edge and click on the three horizontal dots in the top right corner to access the browser’s settings menu.
- From the settings menu, select ‘Privacy, Search and Services’.
- Scroll down to the ‘Services’ section and locate the option ‘Show suggestions to follow creators in Microsoft Edge’.
- Toggle the switch off to disable the feature.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your browsing data remains private until Microsoft addresses the issue.
Conclusion
Microsoft Edge’s privacy concerns have left many users questioning the security of their browsing data.
The follow creator feature, initially designed to enhance user experience, has backfired due to poor execution.
Users are strongly advised to disable this feature until Microsoft provides a definitive solution to the problem.
Microsoft’s quick response to the issue is a positive sign, but users must remain vigilant in protecting their own privacy while browsing the internet.
