Microsoft disguises Bing as Google to fool inattentive searchers

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Bing’s Google-Like Results Page

  • When users search “google” (and some other engines like “yandex”) on Bing, they see a special above-the-fold pane: blank white background, centered search box, and a colorful doodle, visually reminiscent of Google’s homepage.
  • The page auto-scrolls so the main Bing header and logo are hidden; focus goes to the spoofed search box.
  • There is a small “Promoted by Microsoft” label and an “X”, but some note these are easy to miss, especially as some ad blockers hide the element.
  • Behavior varies: some report it only in certain browsers, when logged out, or not in Edge / when signed in.

Is It Deception or Improvement?

  • Critics call it intentional deception: changing layout only when searching for a competitor, hiding Bing branding, and hijacking the user’s clear intent to go to Google.
  • Defenders frame it as harmless or even clever: many nontechnical users equate “Google” with “search” and just want results; this removes a step and keeps them on a functionally similar engine.
  • Others see it as ethically nefarious even if effective, likening it to serving a different brand than requested without saying so.

Search Quality: Bing vs Google vs Others

  • Opinions on relevance are split:
    • Some say Bing and Google have largely converged; others insist Bing remains worse, especially for nuanced or structured queries.
    • Several argue Google has degraded (“enshittified”) and is more overrun by SEO spam and low-value/AI content.
    • Niche patterns: Bing praised for image/adult search and for fewer scammy ads; Google still seen as better for local queries and some tech topics.
  • Many mention using DDG (partly Bing-backed), Kagi, Yandex, and Brave as alternatives, often switching among them depending on query type.

Privacy, Ads, and Captchas

  • Bing is preferred by some because it works under strict privacy setups and VPNs without CAPTCHA “hell,” unlike Google.
  • Others emphasize that all major engines track users and that ad blockers are essential; a few choose paid or ad-free engines to avoid this entirely.

Microsoft’s Broader Behavior & Brand

  • The stunt is viewed in context of other Microsoft dark patterns: aggressive Edge promotion, Start Menu search tying into Bing, and mobile banners nudging app installs.
  • Some see this as typical of a historically aggressive, sometimes anti-competitive company; others argue Google plays similarly dirty tricks with search and Chrome.
  • The “Bing” brand itself is widely seen as weak or mocked, though some say the service has quietly become “fine” or even better than Google in recent years.

UI Mimicry and Legal/Brand Issues

  • Several note that copying successful UI (including Google’s) is common; Microsoft’s ads platform already closely mirrors Google Ads to ease switching.
  • There is debate over whether Google’s doodles and layout are protectable trademarks; some suggest any legal case would hinge on proving deception rather than pure design copying.