In certain circumstances relating to quality, safety, and user value, Bing might decide to remove certain results, or we might warn or educate users or provide options for tailoring results.
Spam
Certain pages captured in the Bing index might turn out to be pages of little or no value to users and/or can he characteristics that artificially manipulate the way search and advertising systems work in order to distort their relevance relative to pages that offer more relevant information. Some of these pages include only advertisements and/or links to other websites that contain mostly ads, and no, or only superficial, content relevant to the subject of the search. To improve the search experience for users and deliver more relevant content, Bing might remove such search results, or adjust Bing algorithms to prioritize more useful and relevant pages in search results.
Sensitive personal information, including nonconsensual distribution of intimate images
From time to time, webpages that are publicly ailable might intentionally or inadvertently contain sensitive personal information posted without the consent of the individual identified or in circumstances that create security or privacy risks. Examples include inadvertent posting of private records, private phone numbers, identification numbers and the like, or intentionally and maliciously posting email passwords, login credentials, credit card numbers, or other data intended to be used for fraud or hacking. Upon verification, Bing will remove such search results.
Another example is when someone shares adult or sexually explicit images of another person online – whether real or a “deepfake” image that is created using AI or other photo editing tools - without that person’s consent. This is commonly referred to as nonconsensual intimate imagery, or "revenge porn". Microsoft considers this to be a gross invasion of personal privacy. To help victims get back control of their images and their privacy, Bing might remove links to such photos and videos from search results. To report unauthorized online photos and videos, including deepfakes, victims should complete a form on our reporting web page.
Some webpages engage in deceptive and exploitative removal practices. Examples of this activity include requests or demands for payment for individuals to get their private information removed or a lack of any removal process for sensitive personal information on the site. Upon a report submitted and reviewed, Bing may remove such search results from the index. To report sites that engage in these practices, please nigate to our reporting web page.
As noted in the reporting form, it’s important to remember that information will remain ailable on the original website even if Bing has removed the link from search results. The website owner is in the best position to address privacy concerns about the information it publishes. Victims will need to contact owners of the website where the content is hosted to remove content from the web.
Adult content
Bing offers a SafeSearch feature, which allows most users to set the type of filtering for adult content that they prefer to apply to their search results. Bing endeors to oid delivering content that can be offensive or harmful when it wasn’t requested and provides SafeSearch settings to allow users to customize their search experience. By default, in most countries or regions, SafeSearch is set to Moderate, which restricts visually explicit search results but doesn't restrict explicit text. Users can choose to change their SafeSearch settings at any time.
Different countries or regions may he different local customs, religious or cultural norms, or local laws regarding the display of adult content (or search results accessing adult content). This might affect default SafeSearch settings for Bing in some countries.
Illegal pharmaceuticals
In furtherance of Bing’s commitment to provide users with trustworthy search results, Bing has taken steps to minimize the likelihood that users are harmed through illegal pharmaceutical sales online. In the US, Bing blocks online pharmacies listed on the FDA's Internet Pharmacy Warning Letters site. The FDA, as the federal regulatory body for the pharmaceutical industry in the United States, maintains this public list of online pharmacies engaged in illegal and unsafe practices. The FDA has more information at BeSafeRx: Know Your Online Pharmacy.
Public service announcements and warnings
For some topics, it can be difficult to find quality information. When we identify these gaps, we sometimes insert helpful content so users can explore a topic faster. These can take many different forms. You might see a ‘public service’ answer, an answer that explains breaking news, or a warning on a particular site known to contain potentially harmful information. To ensure we are getting the details right, we always look for authoritative sources for curated and original content. If we are using a third-party source, we’ll always show their name or website so you’ll know where the data is coming from.
For example, Bing provides links to suicide prevention resources when a user’s query expresses a possible suicide intent. Microsoft Bing also provides warning notices on certain URLs appearing in search results where it has reliable information that the link contains possibly harmful content. Such notices appear on links to sites Microsoft Bing has determined to contain harmful malware that could damage a user’s computer. Microsoft Bing also provides a warning to users in the United States on any link identified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) as a “Not Recommended Site.”