Microsoft Start: Your Personalized News Feed is Here

Microsoft Launches Microsoft Start: A Personalized News Experience

Today, Microsoft unveiled Microsoft Start, a new personalized news reading platform. It’s accessible as both a website and a mobile application. Furthermore, it’s integrated into existing Microsoft products, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and the Microsoft Edge browser.

Tailored Content and Competitive Positioning

The platform’s feed aggregates content from various news publishers. However, it distinguishes itself by tailoring the information presented to each user’s unique interests. This customization strategy is intended to enhance Microsoft’s competitive standing against similar services offered by companies like Apple and Google. It also aims to rival popular third-party news apps such as Flipboard and SmartNews.

Building on Existing Services

Microsoft emphasizes that this product expands upon the company’s established presence in consumer services like MSN and Microsoft News. Importantly, Microsoft Start will not replace MSN; the existing service will continue to operate alongside the new platform.

Accessing Microsoft Start

Users can access Microsoft Start by visiting MicrosoftStart.com, compatible with Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge (though not Safari). Alternatively, the Microsoft Start mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

Integration with Windows and Edge

The service powers the News and Interests feature on the Windows 10 taskbar. It also drives the Widgets experience on Windows 11. Within Microsoft Edge, it’s accessible directly from the New Tab page.

First Impressions and Features

The Microsoft Start website initially presents a familiar interface. It resembles other online news portals, offering a curated collection of news alongside widgets for weather, stock information, sports scores, and traffic updates.

When a user selects an article, they are directed to a syndicated version hosted on Microsoft’s domain. This version includes the Microsoft Start navigation bar and emoji reaction buttons positioned below the headline.

Emoji Reactions and a Notable Difference

Users can express their reactions to stories directly from the home page using emojis. The emoji set is comparable to that of Facebook, but Microsoft has replaced the controversial laughing face emoji with a thinking face. This change addresses criticism surrounding the use of the laughing face for ridicule, even in sensitive contexts.

Furthermore, after reacting to a story with an emoji, only the user’s chosen emoji is displayed, rather than showing the top three reactions and the total count.

Personalization and Customization

Unlike traditional static news aggregators, Microsoft Start dynamically adjusts its feed based on user interests.

Users can personalize their feed by clicking a “Personalize” button. This leads to a page where they can manually add or remove interests from broad categories like news, entertainment, sports, technology, finance, travel, health, and shopping. More specific interests can also be searched for, such as “parenting teenagers” instead of simply “parenting.” This feature mirrors a recent update to Flipboard’s For You feed.

Refining the Feed with Feedback

As users browse, they can provide feedback by using thumbs-up or thumbs-down buttons on articles. This input helps refine the feed over time. Microsoft states that this customization process utilizes both artificial intelligence, machine learning, and human moderation.

Advertising and Privacy Considerations

The platform is supported by advertising, with ad units appearing periodically within the scrolling feed. These ads are clearly marked with a green “Ad” badge and primarily consist of product advertisements.

With the launch of Microsoft Start and its integration into other products, Microsoft expands its advertising capabilities while maintaining MSN’s operation.

Data Usage and Privacy

The iOS app’s privacy label indicates that user data, including the User ID, is used for tracking across websites and apps owned by other companies. Google News does not include a tracking section in its privacy label. Both platforms collect various data points, such as location, identifiers, search history, and contact information.

The website links to Microsoft’s general privacy policy.

Microsoft assures users that it does not “package up or resell personalized data to advertisers, data brokers, or other third parties.” Users can also delete their personalized profile by clearing website cookies (if not signed in) or through the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard (if signed in with a Microsoft account).

Rollout and Availability

The website, app, and integrations are being rolled out starting today. The mobile app, which replaces Microsoft News, can be accessed by scanning the provided QR code. Availability may vary by region and platform.