Microsoft Edge browser under scrutiny for leaking URLs to Bing API

Microsoft’s Edge browser is under scrutiny after it was discovered that the latest version of the browser sends URLs to its Bing API website. A Reddit user first noticed the privacy issue a few days ago, pointing out that nearly every page visited was being sent to bingapis.com. The Reddit user said that “Searching for References to this URL give very few results, no documentation on this feature at all. JSON response shows type as “FollowableStatus” which yields zero Google results, which is rare.”

According to Microsoft MVP and Stardock engineer Rafael Rivera, Microsoft Edge now has a creator follow feature that is enabled by default. The intent was to notify Bing when users are on certain pages, such as YouTube and Reddit. However, it appears that the feature is not working correctly and is sending nearly every domain visited to Bing. Rivera explained that the feature was designed to help creators build their audiences on Bing, but it has gone wrong.

Microsoft Edge users who do not use the Follow Creator feature may want to turn it off to block the sending of page information to Microsoft. The privacy issue has raised concerns about Microsoft’s data collection practices and the transparency of its features. Microsoft has yet to comment on the issue, but it is expected to address the matter soon. In the meantime, users are advised to be cautious when using Microsoft Edge and to check their privacy settings regularly.