Microsoft Reportedly Testing Nearly Invisible Sponsored Labels in Bing Search

Microsoft is reportedly once again experimenting with the visibility of sponsored labels in Bing search results. This latest test involves labels that are nearly transparent, appearing as faint gray text that is difficult for users to notice. The test was spotted by Sachin Patel, who shared a screenshot on X highlighting how subtle the label appears (via Search Engine Roundtable).

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has experimented with ad labeling. In the past, the company tested almost invisible sponsored labels and other subtle designs that blurred the line between ads and organic results. Many users previously criticized these designs, noting that such labeling can make ads harder to differentiate and raise concerns about user transparency.

Microsoft has responded to feedback on these tests before, hinting that it is exploring ways to balance ad visibility with search experience aesthetics. That said, it appears the company continues to refine the look and feel of sponsored labels, experimenting with different levels of opacity and placement to see what sticks.

With these ongoing tests, Bing users may notice that sponsored labels sometimes appear very faintly or hardly at all, depending on the experiment being run. It’s unclear when Microsoft will finalize a permanent design or if these subtle labels will become standard.

It’s not just ad labeling that has raised eyebrows. In the recent past, there have been several instances [1] [2] [3] of Microsoft trying to move Edge users away from Google Chrome. These tactics have also been heavily criticized by users.