NEW REPORT SLAMS MICROSOFT FOR LEVERAGING DARK PATTERNS TO FORCE PEOPLE TO USE EDGE

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Microsoft continues using dark patterns, including misleading banners, default-browser restrictions, and forced actions, to steer Windows users toward Edge. Users outside the European Economic Area encounter more interference when downloading, setting, and keeping an alternative default browser, demonstrating how regulatory requirements can directly affect interface design. Windows features such as Search and Widgets can also bypass a user's chosen default and open links in Edge, reinforcing concerns that Microsoft's design decisions undermine meaningful browser choice.