Microsoft Called Out For Tricking Bing Users Into Thinking They're Using Google Search

Microsoft's Bing search engine has always played second fiddle to Google, which owns the lion's share of search globally. In fact, one of the most common searches on Bing is "Google." It appears Microsoft is trying to take advantage of that in a somewhat underhanded way. People who go looking for Google via Bing may instead find themselves using a fake Google search that's actually Bing.

Originally spotted by Windows Latest, Microsoft has been testing a strange interface in its search engine when users search for Google. Instead of showing the results up top, Microsoft inserts a new search bar and header image that makes the results page look surprisingly like the Google search page. The clean layout and imagery could easily fool someone who isn't paying attention, particularly if they're the type to go to Google.com to search instead of changing the default search engine in their browser.

Of course, you can scroll further down the page to reveal Microsoft's deceit. Below the additional search field you'll see all the usual results, including a link to Google. Parisa Tabriz, Google's head of Chrome, made her feelings known in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," wrote Tabriz. "Microsoft spoofing the Google homepage is another tactic in its long history of tricks to confuse users & limit choice,” says Tabriz. “New year; new low Microsoft."

You would naturally expect Google executives to be opposed to an effort to divert users from accessing their products, but Tabriz is right about Microsoft's tendency to steer users back toward its products. Throughout the Microsoft ecosystem, users encounter popups, misleading warnings, bundling, and even overt monetary pleading to keep them from leaving for Google.

Neither Microsoft nor Google are entirely in the clear. The latter has its own tools to try and keep users in its sandbox, from scraping web content to notifications encouraging people to use Chrome. However, it's nowhere near as blatant as Microsoft's phony Google page.