WHY am I being FORCED to deal with Microsoft edge?

Microsoft is not forcing anything. You gave them permission to install Edge or any other updates when you agreed to the Terms and Conditions when you installed Windows 10.  Microsoft granted you the right to install and use Windows 10 but, they kept ownership of Windows 10 and the to determine what features would be installed, When, and by what method. 

Sad to say that you are probably right. Next might be TV manufacturers that force channels you must watch. Buyer beware!

Microsoft is not forcing anything. You gave them permission to install Edge or any other updates when you agreed to the Terms and Conditions when you installed Windows 10.  Microsoft granted you the right to install and use Windows 10 but, they kept ownership of Windows 10 and the to determine what features would be installed, When, and by what method. 

Legally, yes, you are correct, but you are missing the rather obvious point.

Most people here aren't talking about the legality of this, but rather the ethics of this. I have yet to see if this is an ongoing problem, but I am a long-term windows user, yet I virtually never use edge or explorer, although I keep both installed as alternatives should my preferred browser (primarily chrome, alternatively firefox) fail to be able to do something.

Now I've set the scene, let me walk you through the what I would hope is painfully obvious here. I've used Windows 10 for 4, maybe 5 years? Pretty soon after it launched, before that I used Windows 7. Software has compatibility with windows, and while I could use Linux or Mac, my workflow is quicker with Windows given I've spent over a decade at least using it solidly.

I appreciate that Windows can do a lot thanks to sweeping T&C agreements, most companies have T&C agreements like that so they can never be legally caught out (easily at least), but we also assume as ordinary people (perhaps naively, though we don't have much of a choice in today's world) a company is going to behave in good faith, in this case comandeering my entire screen, not simply when I open edge, but rather when I've simply opened up windows, with effectively a spam advertisement, lacking the obvious way to close it (the little 'x' button in the top right corner of a window, a pretty iconic feature of windows!) is not exactly acting in good faith. Likewise, thankfully this time round my default browser preference is unchanged, but trying to seize control away from me while I use my computer, is really not what I expected from Microsoft 4 or 5 years ago, let along over a decade ago when my relationship with them began.

I'm not the type to complain frequently, but we as users very much have a right to complain, and in this case, I damn right will.

I'm not the type to complain frequently, but we as users very much have a right to complain, and in this case, I damn right will.

Yes, you have the right to complain, so while you are doing it why not do it somewhere where it matters than here where your rant does not change anything.

Use the Alt-Shift-I feedback mechanism from within Edge to leave the development team feedback as they rarely, likely never, visit these forums.

I have left feedback elsewhere too, such as twitter directed towards the edge and microsoft accounts, given I really don't use edge I wasn't aware of the Alt-Shift-I feedback mechanism. This forum topic is the top result on google at the moment though, so perhaps it shouldn't surprise you that you'd also see complaints here.

Honestly though I have waning hopes of any avenue producing much of a result, that said I'll still 'rant' on each avenue I can about this given it is truly quite unethical programming, just as plenty of others are. 

Additionally I felt it worthwhile to point out to those trying to shut down the conversation because it is 'legal' that they are dramatically missing the point most people are making. In the nicest way possible, while you haven't got strung up on legality, the category of 'people trying to shut down the conversation' does include you I feel. Initially denying the problem, then erroneously stating it must be an unusual setup people are using or 3rd party software messing with windows, then again erroneously stating that a browser is a fundamental and inseparable part of an OS (Windows itself may attempt to obfuscate the process, and the OS may always have capacity to connect to the internet, but a browser itself is a program within the OS not an inseparable part. That isn't to say running without any browser at all is advisable, although one could use any browser of their choosing).

Nope I'd never try to shut down a conversation, but I will never let people lie or distort the truth to others in these forums and will call them and you out every time.

• Yes, Microsoft has every legal right to update their software.
• Yes, many people mess around with their O/S by editing registry or installing **** software and 9 times out of 10 it causes issues.
• Yes, a browser is part of the O/S and should not be removed. Apple has Safari and Google has Chrome because one needs to have at least one browser that can't be uninstalled in an O/S. After all if there was no browser how would you download your favorite browser? Riddle me that one . . .

All statements of the truth. You and others may not like the truth but there it is and still the truth.

So again, pointless rants do nothing here. Doing what I and others do by leaving productive feedback in the mechanisms available that are actually seen by the developers are the only thing that will lead to change.

Posting here may make you feel good but it will accomplish nothing other than people who know the truth to correct you.

Bonne chance!