Taking an example from Google’s lead, Microsoft has launched a new reporting page where users can submit links to nude and explicit photos and videos they want removed from Bing search results. Links to the offending photos and videos are set to be removed from Bing, and any such content shared via Microsoft’s OneDrive or Xbox Live will be removed as soon as it’s discovered. In addition, a new system for reporting such content has been set up on the Microsoft Support site.
“When someone shares intimate images of another person online without that person’s consent, the effects can be truly devastating,” said Microsoft chief online safety office Jacqueline Beauchere in a blog post.
“Unfortunately, revenge porn is on the rise across the globe. It can damage nearly every aspect of a victim’s life: relationships, career, social activities. In the most severe and tragic cases, it has even led to suicide.”
However, one should not forget that removing links to images or videos from search results does not actually remove the content itself from the Internet. It just makes it harder to find.
In June, Google launched a similar effort and also created a special Web form that allows revenge porn victims to report links to sexually explicit images posted online without their consent. Other companies like Twitter and Facebook have also upped up efforts to combat revenge porn.
The revenge porn phenomenon has grown considerably in recent years, even leading to the creation of dedicated websites whose owners have tried to profit from it.
Last month, a Casey Meyering was sentenced to three years in prison in California for operating what the authorities called a “cyber exploitation website” through which he encouraged people to post revenge porn images and then charged victims to remove them. In April, Kevin Bollaert received an 18-year prison sentence for multiple counts of extortion and identity theft in connection with the operation of a similar website.
After Google, Bing is one of the Internet’s most popular search engines, along with Baidu and Yahoo.
