Windows itself started begging you to use Bing
Microsoft injected Bing popup ads into Chrome on Windows
The market's verdict: +1.0% on MSFT in the week after.
What actually happened
In March 2024, users started reporting pop ups inside Google Chrome on Windows urging them to make Bing the default search engine, and the pop ups originated not from a website but from the operating system. They appeared even with notifications disabled, and clicking yes quietly switched the default engine. Microsoft described them as one time notifications, which was true, and as perfectly normal, which was a matter of opinion. It belongs to a fine lineage: banners on Bing's own Chrome download page explaining there is no need to download a new browser, and years of Edge intercepting default browser changes. The campaign worked so well that Bing's share was visibly unchanged.
This one is well documented.
They did it more than once
The ads followed you out of the Start menu and into the browser.
Links
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Impact
- BleepingComputer (publication)
- The Verge (publication)
↳ caused by Bing promotion popups in Chrome (March 2024)
Timeline
- Mar 15, 2024 Stood by it Microsoft stood by it.