Opera Accuses Microsoft Of Dirty Tactics To Thwart Competition In Browser Wars

Opera filed a complaint against Microsoft, accusing it of unfairly promoting its browser to the detriment of others. In Opera’s complaint with Brazil's anti-trust authority (CADE), the software company accused Microsoft of influencing major PC manufacturers to install Edge as the default browser on all new laptops they sell. This practice, it argues, disadvantages other browsers like Opera.

Opera also accuses Microsoft of deploying "manipulative design tactics" or "dark patterns, " making it difficult for users to switch from Edge to other browsers. For instance, it pointed out that "Microsoft deploys obtrusive banners and messages discouraging users from downloading alternative browsers at the very moment they are searching for those browsers on Edge. Microsoft ignores users' default choices in critical moments, such as opening PDFs, accessing links in emails, and using the Windows Search bar, opening Edge instead."

In the words of McParlan, General Counsel at Opera, "Microsoft thwarts ...