Bing: Difference between revisions

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{{ProductCargo

|ArticleType=Product

|Logo=Bing Fluent Logo.png

|Category=Search Engine

|Company=Microsoft

|InProduction=Yes

|ReleaseYear=3 June 2009

|Website=https://bing.com/

}}

 

'''Microsoft Bing''' (also known simply as '''Bing''') is a search engine owned and operated by [[Microsoft]], and developed by Microsoft AI.

===User privacy===

In 2022, France imposed a €60 million fine on Microsoft for privacy law violations using Bing [[Web cookie|cookies]] that prevented users from rejecting those cookies.<ref>{{Cite web |author=guenni |title=France fines Microsoft 60 million euros over Bing cookies |url=https://borncity.com/win/2022/12/24/france-fines-microsoft-60-million-euros-over-bing-cookies/ |website=Born's Tech and Windows World |date=24 Dec 2022 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224151305/https://borncity.com/win/2022/12/24/france-fines-microsoft-60-million-euros-over-bing-cookies/ |archive-date=24 Dec 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=France fines Microsoft €60m for imposing advertising cookies |url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20221222-france-fines-microsoft-%E2%82%AC60m-for-imposing-advertising-cookies |website=Radio France Internationale |date=22 Dec 2022 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224151303/https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20221222-france-fines-microsoft-%E2%82%AC60m-for-imposing-advertising-cookies |archive-date=24 Dec 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Xiao |first=Menghan |title=Microsoft fined $64 million by France over cookies used in Bing searches |url=https://www.scmagazine.com/analysis/compliance/microsoft-fined-64-million-by-france-over-cookies-used-in-bing-searches |website=SC Media |date=23 Dec 2022 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224151305/https://www.scmagazine.com/analysis/compliance/microsoft-fined-64-million-by-france-over-cookies-used-in-bing-searches |archive-date=24 Dec 2022}}</ref>

Microsoft has been criticized for censoring Bing search results for queries made in simplified Chinese characters, which are used in mainland China. This is done to comply with the censorship requirements of the government in China.<ref name="nytimes-kristof">{{Cite web |last=Kristof |first=Nicholas |title=Boycott Microsoft Bing |url=http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/boycott-microsoft-bing/ |website=The New York Times |date=20 Nov 2009 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091123194315/http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/boycott-microsoft-bing/ |archive-date=23 Nov 2009}}</ref> Microsoft has not indicated a willingness to stop censoring search results in simplified Chinese characters in the wake of [[Google]]'s decision to do so.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kobie |first=Nicole |title=Activists applaud Google's censorship move, China grumbles |url=http://www.itpro.co.uk/621706/activists-applaud-googles-censorship-move-china-grumbles |website=IT PRO |date=23 Mar 2010 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028071727/http://www.itpro.co.uk/621706/activists-applaud-googles-censorship-move-china-grumbles |archive-date=28 Oct 2011}}</ref> All simplified Chinese searches in Bing are censored regardless of the user's country.<ref name="nytimes-kristof" /><ref>{{Cite web |author=G.E. |title=Bing's Chinese enigma |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/analects/2014/02/internet-censorship |url-access=subscription |website=[[The Economist]] |date=12 Feb 2014 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107064213/https://www.economist.com/blogs/analects/2014/02/internet-censorship |archive-date=7 Jan 2018}}</ref> The English-language search results of Bing in China has been skewed to show more content from state-run media like Xinhua News Agency and ''China Daily''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Liu |first=Charles |title=Bing Goes Full-on Censorship in English Search Results Within China |url=https://thenanfang.com/search-engine-bing-com-featuring-skewed-results-china/ |website=The Nanfang |date=17 May 2016 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107175119/https://thenanfang.com/search-engine-bing-com-featuring-skewed-results-china/ |archive-date=7 Jan 2018}}</ref> On 23 January 2019, Bing was blocked in China.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=China blocks Microsoft's Bing search engine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/24/china-blocks-microsofts-bing-search-engine |website=The Guardian |date=24 Jan 2019 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208042303/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/24/china-blocks-microsofts-bing-search-engine |archive-date=8 Dec 2019}}</ref> According to a source quoted by ''The Financial Times'', the order was from the Chinese government to block Bing for "illegal content".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yang |first=Yuan |title=China blocks Bing access in curb on last foreign search engine |url=https://www.ft.com/content/714ac466-1f64-11e9-b126-46fc3ad87c65 |url-access=subscription |website=The Financial Times |date=24 Jan 2019 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221211191251/https://www.ft.com/content/714ac466-1f64-11e9-b126-46fc3ad87c65 |archive-date=11 Dec 2022}}</ref> On 24 January, Bing was accessible again in China.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lanxon |first=Nate |title=Microsoft's Bing accessible again in China after hours of outages |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsofts-bing-accessible-again-in-china-after-hours-of-outages/ |website=The Seattle Times |date=24 Jan 2019 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125130828/https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsofts-bing-accessible-again-in-china-after-hours-of-outages/ |archive-date=25 Jan 2019}}</ref>

Around 4 June 2021, the anniversary of the {{Wplink|1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre}}, Bing blocked image and video search results for the English term "Tank Man" in the USA, UK, France, Germany, Singapore, Switzerland, and other countries. Microsoft responded that it was due to ''"accidental human error."''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cox |first=Joseph |title=Bing Censors Image Search for 'Tank Man' Even in US |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bing-censors-tank-man/ |website=Vice |date=4 Jun 2021 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605072041/https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article/qj8v9m/bing-censors-tank-man |archive-date=5 Jun 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Menn |first1=Joseph |last2=Dave |first2=Paresh |title=Microsoft says error led to no matching Bing images for Tiananmen 'tank man' |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-bing-raises-concerns-over-lack-image-results-tiananmen-tank-man-2021-06-04/ |website=Reuters |date=5 Jun 2021 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705124052/https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-bing-raises-concerns-over-lack-image-results-tiananmen-tank-man-2021-06-04/ |archive-date=5 Jul 2021}}</ref> According to an investigation by ''Bloomberg'', the full explanation was that Microsoft accidentally applied its Chinese blacklist globally.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Ryan |title=How Microsoft's Bing Helps Maintain Beijing's Great Firewall |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-03-07/microsoft-s-bing-helps-maintain-china-s-great-firewall |url-access=subscription |website=Bloomberg |date=7 Mar 2024 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324014927/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-03-07/microsoft-s-bing-helps-maintain-china-s-great-firewall |archive-date=24 Mar 2024}}</ref>

In December 2021, it was required by a ''"relevant government agency"'' to suspend its auto-suggest function in China for thirty days.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Microsoft's Bing suspends auto suggest function in China at government's behest |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-bing-says-suspended-auto-suggest-function-china-government-behest-2021-12-17/ |website=Reuters |date=17 Dec 2017 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217062628/https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-bing-says-suspended-auto-suggest-function-china-government-behest-2021-12-17/ |archive-date=17 Dec 2021}}</ref> The search engine became partially unavailable in mainland China from 16 December until its resumption on 18 December 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lin |first=Liza |title=Microsoft's Bing Halts Autofill Feature in China, Citing Local Laws |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsofts-bing-halts-autofill-feature-in-china-citing-local-laws-11639743295 |url-access=subscription |website=The Wall Street Journal. |date=17 Dec 2021 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217122907/https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsofts-bing-halts-autofill-feature-in-china-citing-local-laws-11639743295 |archive-date=17 Dec 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=微软 Bing（必应）已可正常访问 |trans-title=Microsoft Bing is now accessible. |url=https://m.ithome.com/html/593213.htm |website=IT Home |date=18 Dec 2021 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219142945/https://m.ithome.com/html/593213.htm |archive-date=19 Dec 2021 |language=zh}}</ref> According to the company, a government agency in March 2022 required that it suspend auto-suggest function in China for seven days; Bing did not specify the reason.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=China requires Microsoft's Bing to suspend auto-suggest feature |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/china-requires-microsofts-bing-suspend-auto-suggest-feature-2022-03-21/ |website=Reuters |date=21 Mar 2022 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322044210/https://www.reuters.com/technology/china-requires-microsofts-bing-suspend-auto-suggest-feature-2022-03-21/ |archive-date=22 Mar 2022}}</ref> In May 2022, a report released by the Citizen Lab of the University of Toronto found that Bing's auto-suggestion system censored the names of Chinese Communist Party leaders, dissidents, and other persons considered politically sensitive in China in both Chinese and English, not only in China but also in the United States of America and Canada.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Knockel |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Ruan |first2=Lotus |title=Bada Bing, Bada Boom: Microsoft Bing's Chinese Political Censorship of Autosuggestions in North America |url=https://citizenlab.ca/2022/05/bada-bing-bada-boom-microsoft-bings-chinese-political-censorship-autosuggestions-north-america/ |website=The Citizen Lab |date=19 May 2022 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519143154/https://citizenlab.ca/2022/05/bada-bing-bada-boom-microsoft-bings-chinese-political-censorship-autosuggestions-north-america/ |archive-date=19 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tilley |first=Aaron |title=Microsoft Is Censoring Searches in U.S. for Politically Sensitive Chinese Names, Researchers Say |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-said-to-censor-searches-in-u-s-for-politically-sensitive-chinese-names-11652965201 |url-access=subscription |website=The Wall Street Journal. |date=19 May 2022 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520030332/https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-said-to-censor-searches-in-u-s-for-politically-sensitive-chinese-names-11652965201 |archive-date=20 May 2022}}</ref>

In April 2023, Citizen Lab reported that Bing was more censorious in China than native Chinese search engines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Myers |first=Steven Lee |title=China's Search Engines Have More Than 66,000 Rules Controlling Content, Report Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/26/business/china-censored-search-engine.html |website=The New York Times |date=26 Apr 2023 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429155352/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/26/business/china-censored-search-engine.html |archive-date=29 Apr 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chiu |first=Joanna |title=Microsoft Bing's censorship in China is even "more extreme" than Chinese companies' |url=https://restofworld.org/2024/microsoft-bing-chinese-censorship/ |website=Rest of World |date=27 Jun 2024 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240627202142/https://restofworld.org/2024/microsoft-bing-chinese-censorship/ |archive-date=27 Jun 2024}}</ref>

A study released in 2019 of Bing Image search showed that it both freely offered up images that had been tagged as illegal child pornography in national databases, as well as automatically suggesting via its auto-completion feature queries related to child pornography. This easy accessibility was considered particularly surprising since Microsoft pioneered {{Wplink|PhotoDNA}}, the main technology used for tracking images reported as originating from child pornography.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Constine |first=Josh |title=Microsoft Bing not only shows child sexual abuse, it suggests it |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/10/unsafe-search/ |website=TechCrunch |date=10 Jan 2019 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220184238/https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/10/unsafe-search/ |archive-date=20 Feb 2023}}</ref> Additionally, some arrested child pornographers reported using Bing as their main search engine for new content.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Keller |first1=Michael H. |last2=Dance |first2=Gabriel J. X. |title=Child Abusers Run Rampant as Tech Companies Look the Other Way |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/11/09/us/internet-child-sex-abuse.html |website=The New York Times |date=9 Nov 2019 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202200034/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/11/09/us/internet-child-sex-abuse.html |archive-date=2 Dec 2019}}</ref> Microsoft vowed to fix the problem and assign additional staff to combat the issue after the report was released.

===Bing Wallpaper app malware (''2024'')===

In 2024, {{Wplink|malware}} was found in the official Bing Wallpaper app that tries to change the users' browser settings in order to set the default web browser to [[Microsoft Edge]]. It has also been found stealing Edge, [[Google Chrome]], and [[Mozilla Firefox]] cookies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maruccia |first=Alfonso |title=The official "Bing Wallpaper app" does some nasty, malware-like things to Windows |url=https://www.techspot.com/news/105673-official-bing-wallpaper-app-does-nasty-malware-like.html |website=Techspot |date=21 Nov 2024 |access-date=7 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251230112244/https://www.techspot.com/news/105673-official-bing-wallpaper-app-does-nasty-malware-like.html |archive-date=30 Dec 2025}}</ref>