14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft’s Bing search engine has added a new feature in the UK, now displaying pop-up warnings when child abuse searches are being performed, informing users that these activities are illegal.
All those living in the UK who will make use of Bing to search for photos depicting child abuse will see the pop-up warning, it seems, as Microsoft is intensifying its efforts against child exploitation.
In addition to warning people that they are performing an illegal action, said pop-up will also provide them with links to “help and advice” services, powered by the StopItNow.org counseling group.
As TechRadar notes, said notification reads the following: “Warning! Child abuse material is illegal.”
However, Bing will not block the access to child abuse content, although the company does have a policy of removing it once that it has been discovered.
Apparently, Microsoft’s decision to add the pop-up to Bing UK comes soon after the country’s government has announced legal actions against web providers that did not take extra steps towards blocking access to the aforementioned images.
“Microsoft remains a strong proponent of proactive action by the technology industry in the fight against child exploitation,” the company said in a statement, Sky News reports.
“The Bing Notification Platform is just one way Microsoft is working to tackle the scourge of online child abuse content.”
“In addition, we have teams dedicated globally to abuse reporting on our services and the development of new innovations to combat child exploitation more broadly,” the company also said.
The Bing Notification Platform was designed based on a list of search terms coming from The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), the software giant also unveiled.
According to Andy Baker, CEOP's deputy chief executive, the notification system put in place for Bing UK is only a first step towards blocking access to illegal images and videos and protecting children. However, this is not a complete solution for the issue, he added.