Microsoft lures Apple users to Bing via Google's privacy woes

Published September 25, 2012 9:55am

Is Microsoft exploiting recent questions about Google's respect for users' privacy to lure users of Apple's Safari browser to its search engine Bing?

A report on tech site The Next Web said Safari users are taken to a new Bing landing page that touts the Microsoft search engine's privacy protection capabilities.

^{A screenshot of a landing page for Microsoft's Bing search engine, which tech site The Next Web said may be aimed at users of Apple's Safari browser.}

"(I)t’s not clear right now how the company is pushing, or is planning to push, users to the landing page (we haven’t found any in-bound links, save for a Hacker News submission and a DZone submission). It is clear, however, that Microsoft is looking to go directly after Google here, which certainly wouldn’t be the first time," The Next Web said.

"Unfortunately, Microsoft can’t get this landing page to appear when Safari users actually visit Google, which is where it would really be useful," it added.

The Next Web said the mess started in February 2012, when a report suggested Google overrode Safari’s security and privacy settings to track Internet usage.

Following an investigation, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined Google $22.5 million for the breach. Google agreed to pay up last month.

"Microsoft is keen to make sure that no-one forgets this, let alone Safari users, and the page summarizes the events that took place," The Next Web said.

Visitors to the landing page said Google promised it would not track Safari users but broke its promise and tracked Safari users without their permission.

The Next Web theorized the Bing landing page went live between Aug. 10 when the FTC ordered Google to pay the fine, and Sept. 14. — TJD, GMA News

Tags: microsoft, microsoftbing, apple, google