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Microsoft stole my Chrome tabs, and it wants yours, too (www.theverge.com)

submitted 9 months ago by noodlejetski@lemm.ee to c/technology@beehaw.org

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Last week, I turned on my PC, installed a Windows update, and rebooted to find Microsoft Edge automatically open with the Chrome tabs I was working on before the update. I don’t use Microsoft Edge regularly, and I have Google Chrome set as my default browser. Bleary-eyed at 9AM, it took me a moment to realize that Microsoft Edge had simply taken over where I’d left off in Chrome. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

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[–] Senal@programming.dev 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If you’re using windows you’re already giving Microsoft data so may as well

While technically correct, to me this sounds like "You haven't managed to stop some of the tracking, why not just give them everything?" which is personally not my approach.

Not to say that my approach isn't effort and is even effective, but I'd much rather limit the damage in the ways i can rather than give up entirely. I can see why someone wouldn't want to put in that kind of effort though and i don't fault them for it.

Edge uses chromium not chrome, I would hazard a guess there’s much less data harvesting going on in base chromium given it’s open source and people can see exactly what they collect

Open source yes, but not necessarily free from data-harvesting.

The fact that un-googled chromium (and others like it) exist implies that straight up chromium being open source isn't a guarantee they aren't doing consumer-hostile shit anyway.

Though, yes, it's almost certainly less than full-fat chrome.

[–] flashgnash@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I don't think there's any data Microsoft can get through you using edge that they can't also get just by controlling your OS

Nothing at all stopping them from reading data from other browsers, as has been demonstrated by the whole stealing chrome tabs thing

There are valid reasons to use windows and if you've gotta use it anyway they've already got your data from the start

[–] Senal@programming.dev 1 points 9 months ago

I don’t think there’s any data Microsoft can get through you using edge that they can’t also get just by controlling your OS

I'd put mid-level money on that not being true. There are a lot of things going on in a browser, a lot of which aren't particularly easy to access from the outside.

Not to say it isn't possible.

There are valid reasons to use windows and if you’ve gotta use it anyway they’ve already got your data from the start

To a degree yes, but assuming they aren't pulling nefarious shit in the background, there are in theory many things you can turn off or somewhat neutralise using the options in the OS to reduce the level of data collection.

They are slowly removing those options but they still exist for now.

Again, i fully understand people not wanting to go to the trouble to achieve a goal they don't care about, but that isn't the same as there being nothing you can do if you wish to.