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“Worrisome” was a finding about Microsoft Edge in a historical browser network-traffic study, not an official label or a current verdict that Edge is always unsafe. Microsoft’s present-day disclosures describe two separate data practices: optional diagnostic reporting, which can include website details, and browsing-activity use for personalization when permitted. To limit those practices, check both controls in Edge; their location and availability can depend on Windows version, region, and device policy.
Where the “worrisome” label came from
The phrase is attributed to Douglas J. Leith, a computer science professor at Trinity College Dublin, in connection with a comparative study of browser network behavior. A secondary reference quotes Leith: “From a privacy perspective Microsoft Edge and Yandex are much more worrisome than the other browsers studied.” The study examined browser connections and identifiers, rather than issuing a permanent safety certification. The study reference is associated with that historical assessment.
That wording should be read in its original context: a comparison made using particular browser builds, configurations, and test methods at the time. It does not establish that Edge behaves the same way in 2026, that every Edge user’s browsing is sent to Microsoft, or that Edge is currently less private than every alternative. A vendor privacy disclosure and a network-traffic measurement answer different questions: one describes stated practices and controls; the other observes behavior under a specific test setup. The available evidence does not support a fresh apples-to-apples ranking of today’s browsers.
What Microsoft says Edge collects
Required and optional diagnostic data
Microsoft distinguishes required diagnostic data, which it says helps keep Edge secure, up to date, and performing properly, from optional diagnostic data. Optional diagnostics may include feature use, performance, site load times, memory use, and websites visited. For website-related diagnostics, Microsoft lists fields that can include a URL, page title, site metrics, how the site was accessed, and information about page content or navigation. Microsoft says this data is sent over HTTPS. Microsoft’s Edge privacy documentation describes these categories.
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These diagnostic details are not interchangeable with the browser’s locally stored browsing history. A URL or page detail included in an optional diagnostic report is data sent for diagnostics; history is a browser-data category; and personalization is a separate use of activity. Calling all three simply “history” obscures the purpose and control that apply to each.
Browsing activity for personalization
Separately, Microsoft says that when the relevant permission is enabled, Edge browsing activity may be used to personalize Microsoft advertising, search results, shopping recommendations, news, and other experiences. The activity described can include browsing history, favorites, usage information, viewed web content, and device information. Microsoft’s explanation of this feature and its controls is at Personalize your Microsoft Edge browsing experience.
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Turning off ad personalization at the Microsoft account level does not, by itself, disable use of browsing activity for search, news, or other web experiences. Treat personalization and optional diagnostic reporting as separate choices rather than assuming one privacy toggle governs both.
How to reduce sharing from Edge
- Open the relevant Edge controls. In Edge, go to Settings → Privacy, search, and services.
- Review optional diagnostic data. Find the diagnostic-data control and turn off optional collection if available. On Windows 10 and later, Edge diagnostic settings are generally determined by Windows diagnostic-data settings, so also check Windows Settings → Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback. Labels can vary by Windows release.
- Review personalization separately. In Edge’s privacy settings, find the option that allows Microsoft to save browsing activity for personalization and switch it off if you do not want that use.
- Check why a control is missing or locked. Settings can vary by platform and region. An organization’s policy may make a control read-only; on a managed device, ask the administrator what policy applies.
There is a documented regional exception to the general Windows arrangement: Microsoft provides a separate Edge diagnostic setting for Windows 10 version 22H2 and newer and Windows 11 version 23H2 and newer in the European Economic Area, effective March 6, 2024. The exact controls may change, so use the settings shown on your device rather than treating one path as universal.
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What InPrivate and Guest mode do—and do not—mean
Microsoft says information about websites visited is not sent in InPrivate or Guest mode for the documented functions. That is a narrower claim than “no data leaves the device.” Microsoft also notes that some information about browser use may still be collected depending on Windows diagnostic settings or Edge privacy settings. These modes do not promise to block all telemetry, network requests, website-side collection, or account-linked activity. See Microsoft’s guidance on viewing and deleting browsing data for its related explanation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to judge the privacy claim fairly
When assessing a browser, separate the questions rather than relying on a single label:
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- What data? Distinguish diagnostic events and site details from local history and activity used for personalization.
- Required or optional? Required diagnostics and optional reporting have different status.
- For what purpose? Diagnostics support product operation; personalization supports tailored Microsoft experiences.
- What choice and default? Check the current setting on the specific device instead of assuming historical defaults still apply.
- Which platform and policy? Operating system, region, and organization management can affect the control available.
- What kind of evidence? Microsoft documentation states its disclosed practices; an independent study measures a particular build and setup at a particular time.
A published policy analysis characterized Microsoft as offering some choice over collection and extensive choice over uses, while observing that many settings it reviewed were permissive by default. That analysis reflects its own study period, not a current audit of Edge’s defaults. It is useful context, not a substitute for checking today’s settings on your device.
Quick Recap
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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