Facepalm: Despite being the world’s second-largest search engine, Bing continues to hold a minuscule market share compared to Google. Microsoft is clearly dissatisfied with this disparity and is making every effort to drive even a modest increase in user traffic, even if it borders on being unethical.

Microsoft recently introduced another tactic in its ongoing efforts to encourage users to choose Bing over Google. The Redmond-based corporation seems acutely aware that many users search for “Google” on Bing, and it has devised a strategy to capitalize on this behavior, setting up what can only be described as a clever “trap” for this specific query.

As first reported by Windows Latest, users who search for “Google” on Bing without being signed into a Microsoft account encounter a uniquely designed page. This page features a central search box styled to resemble a Google Doodle, while standard Bing search results appear below.

Interestingly, the design conceals the traditional Bing search box at the top of the page, steering users toward the central box to process their queries through Bing’s servers. The imitation Google page appears across Edge, Chrome, and Firefox browsers, disappearing only when the user logs into their Microsoft account.

Microsoft has employed various tactics to force users into adopting Bing and Edge in the past, but resorting to imitating Google’s homepage marks a new low for the Redmond company. Even the recently released official Bing app has been observed engaging in questionable, malware-like behavior on users’ PCs to further advance Microsoft’s business agenda.

The real issue lies in Microsoft’s monopolistic approach to technology – though it’s worth noting that many other companies employ similar strategies to maximize profits and minimize expenses. Google, for instance, which was recently declared a monopoly in the search engine market by US authorities, is also notorious for leveraging its dominant position to stifle competition.

Google often displays notifications on its websites, encouraging users to download and use the Chrome browser instead of Edge or Firefox. However, even in light of the US Department of Justice’s recent ruling, Google’s tactics appear significantly less aggressive compared to Microsoft’s relentless push to promote Bing.