News outlet partnership goes wrong for Edge users

Feb 13, 2017 12:18 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft Edge is the new default browser in Windows 10, and as part of the software giant’s attempt to boost its adoption, it is offering a feature that displays news on the start page and in new tabs.

All the news are delivered by MSN with help from news outlets across the world, and while at first glance everything should be pretty helpful for users, it turns out that the browser is suffering from an issue that the Internet is trying to deal with as we speak: fake news.

A number of users have turned to the built-in Windows 10 Feedback Hub app to complain about what they claim to be fake news displayed in Microsoft Edge, explaining that the balanced news that they should find in the browser do not exist and most sources are trying to give articles a certain spin that shouldn’t be there.

“I have been disgusted to read such clearly slanted stories. I would prefer to read news reports that allowed me to draw my own conclusions that did not seem intent on spinning the news in one direction or another. It is time that you offered BALANCED news instead of relying on your partnerships with news outlets that clearly have an agenda in their news reporting,” one such comment reads.

Microsoft still tightlipped

Microsoft Edge does not allow users to edit news sources, but only to choose the categories they want to receive articles for, so there’s no way to deal with the alleged fake news without the company’s own tweaks.

Of course, Microsoft Edge does not deliberately spread fake news, and if this is indeed happening, it’s only the fault of the sources that the browser is configured to use to show articles on the start page and in new tabs.

Microsoft, however, hasn’t said a single thing until now and is yet to respond to the suggestion posted in the Feedback Hub, so it remains to be seen if the company gives more power to users to configure news sources or if the company itself removes sources involved in spreading fake news.

News sources options in Edge browser
News sources options in Edge browser

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Suggestion posted in the Feedback Hub
News sources options in Edge browser
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