Amazon launches the AI Clerk Rufus

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Amazon launched Rufus to a small audience in the United States today. Rufus, a “generative AI-powered expert shopping assistant”, adds something to the shopping experience on Amazon that has been missing until now.

Online shopping, as comfortable as it is, lacks interactions with clerks. Even simple questions may remain unanswered on Amazon and other shopping sites.

Amazon maintains a question and answers section on its site for products, and these help sometimes. While it may be easy enough to find out if a particular shoe is available in a specific size, questions about the difference between AMD and Intel laptops may not be answered at all on Amazon’s website at the moment.

Getting the answer or information is often not a problem at local stores. Ask the clerk, and if the clerk is knowledgeable, you will get an answer.

Amazon introduces Rufus for exactly this. Rufus is a conversational AI that is designed to help shoppers on the site shop and buy products.

The AI was trained on Amazon’s product catalog, customer reviews, the questions and answers of the community, and information from “across the web”.

In other words, it may answer some of the questions that users may have about a particular product on Amazon. It is still necessary to look closely at the AI before you start using it.

Rufus, the AI clerk

Amazon Rufus
source: Amazon

Rufus may “answer customer questions on a variety of shopping needs and products, provide comparisons, and make recommendations based on conversational context” according to Amazon.

Amazon announced Rufus on its About Amazon website. Rufus may help shoppers in several ways. It may answer broad questions, such as “what to consider when buying running shoes” to very specific questions, e.g., if a pair of running shoes are durable.

Amazon gives a few general examples regarding Rufus’ capabilities:

  • Learn what to look for while shopping product categories
  • Shop by occasion or purpose
  • Get help comparing product categories
  • Find the best recommendations
  • Ask questions about a specific product while on a product detail page

Rufus is available in the official Amazon mobile app for a small subset of U.S. customers. Amazon plans to roll out Rufus to all U.S. customers in the coming weeks. No word on expansion to other markets outside the United States at this point.

Amazon published a short video on YouTube that announces the AI.

Closing Words

Rufus adds something to Amazon that was missing until now: the option to communicate with “someone” to get answers to questions or advice. Whether Rufus is capable of filling the missing role of clerks at Amazon remains to be seen. It may take years before it is mature enough to be of use to the majority of Amazon shoppers.

AI’s like Rufus may replace store clerks in the long run. Think of talking to an Android instead of a human when shopping at Footlockers or another store.

AI introduces the risk of false information. While human clerks may also give bad advice, AI may hallucinate and this introduces another dimension to interactions.

There is also the risk that shopping sites manipulate AIs to push certain products. Again, this may also happen in Stores, but with AI, it is turning into large scale operations.

Now You: would you communicate with AI tools while shopping?

Patch

0Patch patches Windows vulnerability that Microsoft did not consider “patchworthy”

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Not every Windows vulnerability requires patching according to Microsoft. When Microsoft analyses reported vulnerabilities, it may conclude that a vulnerability does not meet the bar for servicing.

Exactly this happened to a security researcher recently who reported a Windows Event Log vulnerability to Microsoft. Successful exploitation of the vulnerability results in a crash of the Windows Event Log service. The vulnerability requires authentication but no special user privileges. Attacks may crash the service on local or remote devices.

The vulnerability affects Windows 10 and Windows Server 2022 devices according to the researcher. 0Patch discovered later that it affects more Windows systems. On the client side, all Windows operating systems starting with Windows 7. On the server side, all Windows server operating systems starting with Windows Server 2008 R2.

The researcher published a proof of concept of the vulnerability on GitHub. A short demo GIF is also available there.

0Patch steps in, creates free micro-patch

Micro-patching service 0Patch analyzed the issue. It discovered that the proof of concept was “remarkably simple” and that attacks did not take more than a second to execute.

The Windows Event Log service restarts if it stops, but this happens only twice according to 0Patch. Attackers may run the attack multiple times to stop it for the session.

No events are logged when the service is not running. This means that events cannot be read either while the service is down. 0Patch notes on its website that Windows keeps a separate record of security and system events when the logging service is down.

These are added to the log when it is up again. Company engineers discovered that the information persists across sessions, but that it gets lost when the system crashes.

To sum it up: a successful attack, which includes a crash of the system in the end, may prevent the logging of any events on the system. This makes forensic work difficult on attacked systems and may be exploited by malicious actors to cover their tracks even better.

0Patch writes:

During the service downtime, any detection mechanisms ingesting Windows logs will be blind, allowing the attacker to take time for further attacks – password brute-forcing, exploiting remote services with unreliable exploits that often crash them, or running every attacker’s favorite whoami – without being noticed.

0Patch created a free micro-patch that addresses the vulnerability in all affected versions of Windows.

The patch requires the installation of 0Patch Agent on affected systems. 0Patch continues to support some Windows systems that Microsoft does not support anymore. Windows 10 will also receive extended support by 0Patch, but also by Microsoft through its Extended Security Updates program.

Additional information, including vulnerability and patch details, are available on the 0Patch website.

Closing Words

Whether it is necessary to patch the vulnerability depends on risk assessment. Most home users are not targeted by sophisticated attacks, but this may be different for organizations.

The patch is free at the moment and it will stay that way. Only the release of an official patch by Microsoft may change that in the future.

PlayStation

PlayStation Network: passkey support coming soon

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

PlayStation users may soon protect their account with a passkey. A support page is already available on the official PlayStation website, but some of the functionality is not yet usable.

Passkey is a new technology that promises to be more secure than username and passwords. One of the main advantages is that passkeys are created locally. Private information that is essential for the authentication process stays local. This means that attackers may no longer use phishing attacks to take over accounts. Other attack types, including server breaches or network spying, will also become useless in this regard.

When users create accounts with a password, a hash of the password is stored on the company’s server. This hash may be turned back into the password. The effectiveness depends on the strength of the user password and other parameters.

Passkeys offer another advantage: they remove the need to type passwords. While that may not be such a problem on computers, especially if password managers are used, it can be a nuisance when signing in to the PlayStation.

While there is more to security than strong passwords and two-factor authentication, or passkeys, it is without doubt of high importance.

PlayStation Network: Passkeys support

PlayStation Network: passkey support

The official passkey page on Sony’s website describes the security feature. The prominent “activate now” button opens the security settings on the PlayStation website.

The option to generate a passkey is not yet available. The link to the FAQ returns a 404 not found error at this time. It is unclear when the functionality becomes available, but it cannot be long before Sony makes an official announcement.

Some information is revealed on the landing page. Sony writes:

A passkey is a password replacement that provides faster, easier, and more secure sign-in to your account for PlayStation Network. It allows you to access your account without a password. Instead, you sign in through your mobile device or computer using the same convenient device screen unlocking method like a fingerprint, face scan or PIN.

Once set up, PlayStation users may sign-in to their account using the passkey. Passkey support may be limited to biometrics or a device PIN. It is unclear if Sony plans to support hardware security keys as well.

These keys, like the Google Titan Security Key, are inserted into USB ports for authorization. Some have buttons that users need to press to complete the authentication process.

Sony confirms that the PlayStation 5 and the older PlayStation 4 will support passkeys.

Closing Words

More and more Internet services and companies add support for passkeys. It is an excellent new system that promises protection against common threats. While that is the case, there are things that make it less usable in some cases. Since passkeys are created on the local device, it may be necessary to generate them on all devices, copy them or find a way to sync them.

Now You: do you use passkeys already?

Windows updates

Bug or Intentional: Edge reportedly importing Chrome tabs automatically

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

At least for a year, some Chrome users reported that Edge imported data from their browser automatically. Back in May 2023, user Cerevox reported the issue on the official Microsoft Community website.

Cerevox claimed that Edge imported bookmarks and passwords from Chrome automatically. In November, another user claimed that Edge imported favorites and browser data from Chrome. Both said that Edge’s auto-import feature was turned off on their system.

Tom Warren, Senior Editor at The Verge, published an article today about the issue. He experienced the issue first hand according to the article:

Last week, I turned on my PC, installed a Windows update, and rebooted to find Microsoft Edge automatically open with the Chrome tabs I was working on before the update.

A post on Twitter by Tom Warren reveals that it was the KB5034204 update. It is uncertain if the update has anything to do with the issue. I ran two tests locally and could not replicate the issue.

Warren says that the Edge feature that powers the auto-import of Chrome data was never turned on by him. He decided to check on another laptop and experienced the issue there as well. After installation of the update and the obligatory restart, Edge opened with all tabs from Chrome.

Warren could not replicate the issue on any other device he tested though, which makes the issue puzzling.

There are two main explanations for this: it is a bug or it is a feature that is either in testing or rolling out to everyone over time.

Checking Microsoft Edge’s auto-import feature

Microsoft Edge import Chrome data

Microsoft Edge includes a setting to import browsing data from Chrome automatically. The feature is off by default. Edge users may verify this by loading edge://settings/profiles/importBrowsingData/editImportConsent in the browser’s address bar.

If you see “Turn On” next to “Import browser data from Google Chrome on each launch” on the page, then it is disabled. Since turning on does not necessarily mean launching Edge, it is easy to accidentally launch Edge unless you have precautions in place.

There is a chance that the feature may turn itself on automatically. Things like these happened in the past and there is a good chance that they will happen in the future again.

The auto-import feature supports Google Chrome only. Even other Chromium-based browsers are not supported. The main idea behind the feature is to make the use of Edge more comfortable for Chrome users. It may be useful if you use both browsers.

This import is local-only according to Microsoft. However, Edge users who sign-in using a Microsoft account and enable sync in Edge will have the data synced to the Microsoft cloud. From there, it is synced back to any device on which the Edge feature is turned on.

Closing Words

Warren said that he noticed a window appearing and disappearing after installation of the update. He did not have time to notice anything or react to it.

It is quite possible that the auto import from Chrome to Edge is a bug. It is also perfectly reasonable to assume that this is being rolled out to all Edge users on Windows. The thing that makes me think it is the former is that the auto-import feature in Edge was turned off.

Microsoft Edge is not a terrible browser, but Microsoft is still pushing users around as if it was Internet Explorer in its prime. It is time that companies accept a “no” the first time.

The EU considers Edge to be insignificant in the world of browser, which is why Edge is not considered a gatekeeper at this stage. Windows on the other hand is a gatekeeper.

In closing, there is little that users can do if a bug or forced feature changes things on their devices. Complete removal of the offending app, in this case Edge, may be an option. This will soon be easier for users from the EU.

Now You: which browsers do you use?

Firefox

Firefox 122 for Android launches with secret local add-on install option

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla released Firefox 122 for the desktop and for Android a few days ago. The desktop release was a light release. The highlight was a new -.deb package release for Linux users.

The Firefox 122 for Android release, on the other hand, introduced several improvements that are noteworthy. The official release notes list just a few of them.

The new mobile version of Firefox is already available. Mozilla lists just three of the improvements on its website:

  • The option to set Firefox as the default PDF reader on Android.
  • Support for Global Privacy Control. This is off in regular browsing mode by default, but users may enable the feature under Settings > Enhanced Tracking Protection > Tell websites not to share & sell data.
  • Firefox reports Android 10 as the operating system to reduce “user fingerprinting information” and “website compatibility issues.

Global Privacy Control may require an explanation. This relatively new initiative aims to move user consent from websites and services to the browser. It informs website operators that the user does not give it the right to sell or share personal information.

How to enable local add-on installations in Firefox 122 for Android

Firefox 122 Android

Mozilla changed its mind in regards to add-ons support. For some time, Firefox Stable for Android supported only a few dozen extensions. While these were some of the most popular add-ons for Firefox, it limited users significantly.

This changed last year when Mozilla unlocked full extensions support. Over 700 extensions are now available for Firefox.

Tip: check out these tips for extensions use in Firefox for Android.

A new change is the ability to install local extensions. It is a great option for developers and to integrate extensions that are not available officially yet.

It is necessary to unlock the Debug menu first. This is done by opening Menu > Settings > About Firefox. Tap five times on the Firefox logo on the page that opens to enable the Debug menu.

A new “Install add-on from file” option is added to the browser’s main settings page afterwards.

Select the option to display a file browser. Use it to pick the add-on that you want to install. Note that it needs to be stored locally already before you use the functionality.

Other improvements in Firefox 122 for Android

Sören Hentzschel published a list of additional features that Mozilla did not mention in the release notes. These are:

  • Cookie Banner Blocking supports Consent Management Provider (CPMs). This adds support for several widely used solutions to display cookie banners.
  • Audio Sandbox is now also active in Firefox for Android.
  • Firefox users may report add-ons to Mozilla now.

Closing Words

Firefox 122 for Android improves support for extensions further. The option to install add-ons from file in the stable version improves development and gives users of the browser additional options.

Not everyone needs these, as the list of add-ons grows significantly each week currently.

Now You: do you use Firefox on Android or another browser?

video

Vividl: download videos from hundreds of sites on Windows

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Vividl – Video Downloader is an open source tool for Microsoft Windows devices to download videos from hundreds of websites. The app uses the popular downloader youtube-dl / yt-dlp in the background. It supports downloads of video or audio files from hundreds of sites.

Most video streaming sites do not want you to download videos. Prime reason for this is monetization as offline videos cannot be monetized. Some services support video downloads, but often only as premium features. Google’s YouTube, for example, supports downloads, but restricts them to YouTube Premium subscribers.

There are quite a few reasons why you may want to download videos. Here is a short list:

  • To watch the video (later) when there is no Internet connection or no reliable Internet connection.
  • To watch a higher quality version of the video, which the Internet connection is incapable of streaming.
  • To watch videos without ads. Tip: you may bypass YouTube video ads without adblockers.
  • To listen to the audio of a video only.
  • For backup purposes.

Vividl: the basics

Vividl Video Downloader interface

You may download the latest version of the video downloader from its GitHub project website. The app runs on Windows 7 and newer versions of the operating system.

The developer lists two dependencies: .NET Framework 4.8 or higher, and Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package. Downloads for both are linked on the project website, if needed.

Windows may throw a SmartScreen error when you try to install it. The app checked out fine on Virustotal, which suggests that this is thrown only because it is a new version.

The main program interface looks basic, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Add a video by pasting its URL into the interface or through drag & drop. An auto import from Clipboard option is provided.

Vividl picks it up and displays information about it after a brief moment.

The main interface acts as the download queue but also download list. There is no option to separate these, which would help manage larger lists of videos.

Downloading videos

Vividl video and audio quality

All videos added to the video downloader are listed in the queue by default. Several download-related options are displayed there.

The default output format is mp4 video and a default quality is selected. Both options are customizable. Vividl supports webm, avi and mkv formats on the video site next to mp4.

A click on the tool icon, which is adjacent to the format button, displays all available video and audio qualities. Here you may select the desired output format and quality manually. You may need to scroll to find specific options, as the lists are not necessarily sorted by size or resolution.

There are options to download video and audio files separately, or just one of the two formats.

The downloading happens in the background. Vividl downloads three files simultaneously by default. You can change this in the program settings.

The settings list several interesting options, some of which automate the experience. Here is a short list of important options:

  • Change the default video resolution and video format. The defaults are mp4 and 1080p.
  • Always download the best quality.
  • Enable GPU acceleration for video encoding, if supported.
  • Instead of overwriting existing media, skip it or rename it.

Verdict

Vividl is a straightforward video downloader for Windows. It supports hundreds of video sites and works really well. Both manual and automatic options work reliable.

To conclude, if you need a well-designed video downloader, this is a program that you may want to test. I still prefer Internet Download Manager, but this is a commercial program that supports video downloads and also other file downloads.

Glow

Glow: open source Windows system analysis software

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Glow is an open source program for Microsoft Windows devices that displays a wealth of information about the system it is run on.

What are the features that it offers and how does it compare to popular alternatives such as Speccy? Read on to find out.

Glow: a system analyzer

Glow Windows System information

Windows displays some information about a system’s hardware and software. The information is scattered all over the place. Even the System Information tool lacks some information that third-party tools offer.

Glow is a free portable app hosted on GitHub. You may run it right after extracting the ZIP archive on the local system. The developer says that it is compatible with Windows 10 and 11 only. The app does require the .NET Framework 4.8.1, which should be installed on most devices.

The left pane of the program lists the various sections, the right pane the information. Operating system information displays important information about the Windows system. This ranges from the operating system build and architecture to the user account, Windows edition and lots more. Scroll down to find information about the system’s uptime, last shutdown time and date, or the system and boot partitions.

Select another section on the left, e.g., motherboard, processor or graphics card, and Glow displays information about immediately.

To name just a few important bits of information: motherboard model and BIOS version, whether a TPM chip is available, the model of the graphics card and the driver date, the RAM type and amount, number of RAM slots, and information about all connected hard drives.

There is a lot to explore, especially for users new to these kind of tools. The sections function as entry points. There is no search, which might help find information quickly.

Glow supports exporting information to txt or html files. The tools section lists a few options:

Other Tools

  • SFC and DISM Automation Tool — this uses built-in Windows tools to find and repair corrupt system files. Microsoft plans to introduce a Windows Update repair feature in future versions of Windows.
  • Cache Cleanup Tool — clean several memory caches to free up RAM.
  • TRIM Audit Tool — this tool checks the TRIM status, on or off, and allows users to enable TRIM if off. TRIM is used to free blocks on Solid State Drives, which opens them up for writing.
  • System Software Tool — links to 10 system tools, including Autoruns, Display Driver Uninstaller, and graphics cards driver download repositories.

How Glow compares to Speccy

The free version of Speccy displays information about the system. There is a professional version, which includes automatic updates and priority support.

Speccy needs to be installed before it is ready for use. There used to be an official portable version, but it has been removed by the developer.

Speccy displays information about the computer’s hardware on launch. This includes key information, but some is missing. As an example; while Speccy lists the operating system and edition, it does not list the build number. The tool focuses on hardware and devices only. Glow, on the other hand, displays installed drivers. Temperature readings are supported by Speccy, but not by Glow.

In closing, both programs offer features that the other does not support. Speaking of support, the developer of Glow announced that Glow is feature complete. There won’t be any future updates of the app anymore. It is possible that the project gets forked, as it is open source, but it is unclear at this point.

Verdict

Glow is a powerful system information tool for Windows. It is excellent for looking up information, e.g., to find out if you can put more RAM into the system or can replace the existing graphics card with a new one.

Summing up, there is little not to like about the tool. The missing temperature information is probably the main feature missing from it. Consequently, it is an excellent program for Windows users to look up system information. Nevertheless, the end of development announcement may cause issues in the future.

Now You: do you use system information tools?

AI

Why you need to check any AI service before use

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Barely a day goes by without another announcement that some form of AI has been added to a product. Operating systems, web browsers, Office programs ,devices such as smartphones, and yes, toasters, all get AI infusions these days.

These AI additions are disabled sometimes, at other times enabled. While it is tempting to try out the latest AI feature in a product that you use, it is even more important to understand how it works.

Most AI tools require an active Internet connection at the time. This is true for Windows Copilot, the AI that Microsoft has integrated into the Windows operating system, and also for many of the AI tools. Besides requiring an active Internet to work at all, Telemetry may also be collected by companies.

Google, for example, launched new AI features in Chrome this week. One of the features submits all URLs and page titles to Google when used. There is a policy that prevents the sending, but the default state submits the data to Google when the feature is used. Is Google warning users of the feature about this prominently? No, it is not.

Companies use the data to improve their AI tools. These Large Language Models eat data for breakfast. New data is used to train the AI and improve it further.

For ordinary people, it is almost impossible to find out if a system submits data, which data is submitted, and how it is processed.

Oh Transparency, where art though?

Companies should be transparent when it comes to AI. Does it require an Internet connection to work? In other words, does it communicate with a server and submit user data to it?

If it does, how is the data processed and stored? Is it deleted automatically? Is there an opt-out for the use of data for AI training or other purposes?

Companies need to be open about the use of Telemetry data to train AI. Which data is collected, how is it processed and stored? What options do users have to opt-out or get their collected data deleted?

It feels a lot like Wild Wild West currently when it comes to AI. The new data rush promises great returns in the short and long run.

Closing Words

AI has a novelty factor and some good uses. You could use it to create images for blog posts or something else. While all text-based returns require validation, as AI may hallucinate or return factually incorrect information, it can be useful.

Most users need to be aware that most AI tools submit data to servers. The premise may limit data leaks, which can be a real problem, especially if the AI uses the data for training.

It is good to be cautious about any new AI service that is added to a product because of that. Better, do not use it if you are unsure or if the company behind it does not make it clear.

Now You: do you use AI tools?

Privacy

This Chrome AI tool submits all URLs and titles of open tabs to Google

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

It seems like some companies have entered into the “adding the most AI tools into products” competition. Microsoft seems to be winning, with its pushing of AI into lots of its products. The company introduced Copilot Toolbar for Android recently, and many future Windows devices will even feature a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard.

Google launched Chrome 121 earlier this week and announced new AI tools that it included in the browser. These are limited to a small subset of users at the time but will roll out to more in the coming weeks and months.

One of the tools is called Tab Organizer. Google promises that the AI tool helps users bring order to their tabs. It does so by finding tabs suitable to be put into tab groups.

Tab groups is an excellent tab management feature. Open tabs may be placed into groups, or created there directly. A group can be collapsed, so that it occupies just a single tab on Chrome’s tab bar, even if it holds dozens or hundreds of tabs.

Tab Organizer

Tab Organizer

Google announced Tab Organizer on the official company blog The Keyword as part of three AI tools for Chrome.

Google writes: “With Tab Organizer, Chrome will automatically suggest and create tab groups based on your open tabs. This can be particularly helpful if you’re working on several tasks in Chrome at the same time, like planning a trip, researching a topic and shopping.”

The feature is available to a selection of users from the United States only at the time. These users need to be signed-in to Google Chrome and they need to enable the Tab Organizer feature first.

This is done by selecting Menu > Experimental AI > Try out experimental AI features > Tab Organizer and then selecting relaunch.

Tab Organizer is then accessible via the Tab Search icon in Chrome’s main toolbar, by right-clicking on tabs and selecting “Organize similar tabs”, or through the Chrome Menu.

Google’s AI will then suggest to put tabs into specific groups. Users may remove tabs from the list of suggestions and rename the tab group for better identification. A click on “create group” creates the tab group based on the selections.

The huge privacy issue

What Google’s announcement on The Keyword blog does not reveal is that Google collects all page titles and URLs when the feature is used.

This is confirmed on a Google Chrome Help page:

When you use Tab organizer, the page titles and URLs of open tabs in the active window and your feedback are collected. As described in our Google Privacy Policy, this information is used to improve this feature, which includes generative model research and machine learning technologies.

In other words, Google knows about any URL and page title open at the time. Since Tab Organizer requires to be signed-in, it could also link the information to the Google account.

Google says that human reviewers may look at the data as part of the review process.

A policy is available for Enterprise and Education users to block the data collecting from happening. No such option is provided for other users.

Closing Words

Most Chrome users may want to avoid the feature, unless they have no problems that it submits all URLs and page titles to Google.

While the feature can be useful, especially if hundreds of tabs need to get organized, it may be better in most cases to use the feature manually instead to avoid any leaks to Google.

With AI tools, it seems to become necessary to ask about privacy implications first before even considering using a tool.

Now You: what is your take on this?

Windows 10

KB5034203 prepares Windows 10 for the EU’s Digital Markets Act

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft published KB5034203 on January 23, 2024. The preview update for Windows 10 is an optional update. All of its changes will be included in the February 2024 cumulative update for the operating system.

Most Windows 10 users may not want to install the update, as it should be considered beta. The update addresses several issues that users may experience. This includes a bug that causes Windows to recognize some “single-function printers” as scanners. Another issue may bring back the Internet Explorer shortcut from the dead.

Digital Markets Act changes in Windows 10

Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system is a core platform service of a gatekeeper according to the European Union. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) defines gatekeepers as companies that “provide an important gateway between businesses and consumers in relation to core platform services”.

In other words, services that give companies control and an unfair advantage.

Microsoft revealed in November 2023 that it would implement certain changes in its Windows operating system to “comply with the Digital Markets Act in the European Economic Area”.

These changes included the ability to remove “all apps in Windows”, remove Web Search from Microsoft Bing, and feeds in the Windows Widgets Board.

It is important to understand that the changes are in response to the DMA, but not coordinated with the EU. It is possible that Microsoft may need to introduce other changes to Windows in the coming months.

KB5034203 for Windows 10

The changelog includes the following paragraph that confirms these changes for Windows 10 version 22H2.

Microsoft has been working to ensure compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Economic Area (EEA). To learn more, see Previewing changes in Windows to comply with the Digital Markets Act in the European Economic Area. These changes will gradually roll out to Windows 10, version 22H2 PCs in the EEA to be compliant by March 6, 2024.

The update introduces the changes in Windows 10 version 22H2, but it does not enable them at this point. Microsoft plans enable the functionality in the coming weeks using staged rollouts.

Windows 10 users who are not on Windows 10 version 22H2 won’t benefit from these changes. Updates to Windows 10 version 22H2 are available.

Closing Words

The changes that Microsoft rolls out are welcome ones. The ability to uninstall Edge or Bing Search will give users more choice. Most may not remove the browser or Bing Search, but users who want to do so, may do so after the change lands.

Whether the changes are enough to get EU approval remains to be seen. It is certainly possible that the EU is asking Microsoft to make additional changes to its operating system.-

Other companies identified as gatekeepers have also announced changes. Google is blocking data sharing between some of its services by default, and Meta announced changes to Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. All these changes are only available to users from the EEA, the European Economic Area.