Keeping Browsing Experience in Users’ Hands, an Update…

Since we published the Keeping Browsing Experience in Users’ Hands blog in December 2015, we’ve received feedback from the ecosystem and engaged in discussions with the industry. Based on those discussions and feedback, we are making a couple of updates. We are broadening the scope of the evaluation criteria we blogged about to state: Programs…

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Keeping browsing experience in users’ hands

​In April last year we announced some changes to our criteria around Adware designed to ensure that users maintain control of their experience. These changes are described in our blog, Adware: a New Approach. Since then, we’ve taken policy and enforcement measures to address unwanted behaviors exhibited by advertising programs that take choice and control away from…

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Cleaners ought to be clean (and clear)

There are many programs that purport to clean up and optimize system performance. While Microsoft does not endorse the use of these tools with Windows, we do not view them as unwanted or malicious. Many programs in this category have a practice of providing a free version of their software that scans your system, presents the…

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Shields up on potentially unwanted applications in your enterprise

Has your enterprise environment been bogged down by a sneaky browser-modifier which tricked you into installing adware from a seemingly harmless software bundle? Then you might have already experienced what a potentially unwanted application (PUA) can do. The good news is, the new opt-in feature for enterprise users in Windows can spot and stop PUA…

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