Prevent Microsoft Edge from adding Visual Search to my website

Question

I have an eCommerce website and do not want Microsoft Edge to add a Visual Search button to my images. I think the Visual Search is unreasonable, adding external links to my website and allowing users to click away from my site. The only information on the web is Edge users turning off Visual Search, but nothing the website owner can do to turn off Visual Search. There should be a way to tag my website to prevent Edge from adding Visual Search. Does anyone know of a way to do this?

Answer 1

This should be illegal... You should give us the possibility to disable this feature from our websites. I am also not sure that this is GDPR compliant, as this feature triggers a Google Analytics call when we hover the mouse on the button, and users should be made aware of the fact that their actions and data are being recollected in order to comply with these laws.

Answer 2

+1

I'm a photographer and I have build my own website https://photography.tomgog. dot com and I can't find a viable way of blocking Edge's Visual Search, even though my code is blocking image dragging, right clicks and the selection of text/elements.

So even though all my work is copyrighted and I have taken all measures to prevent people from easily downloading/copying it, Microsoft gives everyone a tool to work around those measures and download my artwork anyway? You even provide tools to edit my photographs and add filters to them before saving them! How about you go a step further and add an AI Watermark removing tool?

If I understand correctly Microsoft is fighting against piracy of their software and games, it's a crime in fact. So why are they creating tools to make stealing my website content easier? It's quite a hypocritical thing to do. If someone would make SoftwareSearch that would show a list of torrent links that would be criminal.

As for img { pointer-events: none; } solution - it doesn't work. My website has many interactive elements and I can't afford to spend days to rebuild the whole thing.

I really don't understand how this thing is even remotely llegal.

Answer 3

Agreed. It may well be illegal, if not, it should be. Hypocritical, no doubt about that.

Outrageous!

Answer 4

My client's enterprise, esteemed for its unique and bespoke creations, is suffering a significant detrimental impact due to Microsoft's inescapable 'Visual Search' feature, manifested in substantial revenue loss and extensive harm to their corporate reputation. The issue in focus pertains to the unwanted proliferation of visual search results that invariably display competitors' imitation products alongside my client's original creations.

This feature, albeit innovative, is inadvertently promoting a market for counterfeit goods, resulting in unjust enrichment for these competing entities that thrive on producing mere replicas of my client's meticulously designed, one-of-a-kind products. The crucial element of exclusivity inherent to my client's offerings is being severely undermined, thereby directly impacting the perceived value and desirability of their products. This is an untenable situation for any business, let alone one specializing in unique, custom-made items.

The nature of eCommerce necessitates a curated customer experience wherein the purchase journey is free from unnecessary distractions or misleading alternatives. Especially on the individual product page, any form of intrusive advertising or unsolicited recommendations for competing products is not just detrimental but entirely inappropriate. Such practices interrupt the customer's focus and detract from the singular appeal of the product they are considering, leading to reduced conversion rates and diminished sales revenue. Therefore, the imposition of the unblockable Visual Search feature is undoubtedly causing significant harm to my client's business interests.

Thus, it is of paramount importance that the consequences of this feature be comprehensively reviewed, and the necessary modifications be effected promptly. It is essential to uphold the integrity of eCommerce platforms and to safeguard the legitimate interests of businesses that depend on them for their livelihood.

This smells to me like a class action suit.

Answer 5

We are just fellow users here so no one from Microsoft is going to read all your post (I didn't). What you need to do is leave your product suggestion in the Feedback (Alt-Shift-I) mechanism in Edge for the developers to consider your suggestion.