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| Abuse image search triggers Microsoft Bing pop-up alert | Abuse image search triggers Microsoft Bing pop-up alert |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Microsoft's Bing search engine has become the first to introduce pop-up warnings for people in the UK who seek out online images of child abuse. | |
| The notification will tell them the content is illegal and provide details of a counselling service. | The notification will tell them the content is illegal and provide details of a counselling service. |
| It comes after the prime minister said internet companies needed to do more to block access to such images. | It comes after the prime minister said internet companies needed to do more to block access to such images. |
| Yahoo, which uses Bing's technology on its search page, is also reported to be planning to introduce pop-up warnings. | Yahoo, which uses Bing's technology on its search page, is also reported to be planning to introduce pop-up warnings. |
| Google is not planning to use pop-ups but said it would continue to report material and help experts combat the problem. | Google is not planning to use pop-ups but said it would continue to report material and help experts combat the problem. |
| The debate about online images showing the sexual abuse of children has come to prominence after two high-profile murder trials heard how the killers searched for them. | The debate about online images showing the sexual abuse of children has come to prominence after two high-profile murder trials heard how the killers searched for them. |
| Bing's pop-up warning, which applies to searches conducted in the UK, is triggered when people enter words on a "blacklist" compiled by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop). | |
| Microsoft said the notifications aimed "to stop those who may be drifting towards trying to find illegal child abuse content on the web via search engines". | |
| A spokesman said: "This is in addition to Microsoft's existing and longstanding policy of removing any verified links to illegal content of this sort from Bing as quickly as possible." | A spokesman said: "This is in addition to Microsoft's existing and longstanding policy of removing any verified links to illegal content of this sort from Bing as quickly as possible." |
| "Microsoft has been, and remains, a strong proponent of proactive action in reasonable and scalable ways by the technology industry in the fight against technology-facilitated child exploitation... we have teams dedicated globally to abuse reporting on our services and the development of new innovations to combat child exploitation more broadly." | "Microsoft has been, and remains, a strong proponent of proactive action in reasonable and scalable ways by the technology industry in the fight against technology-facilitated child exploitation... we have teams dedicated globally to abuse reporting on our services and the development of new innovations to combat child exploitation more broadly." |
| However, Bing's warning message does not seem to go as far as Prime Minister David Cameron's call for a message warning people of the consequences a criminal conviction for their actions could have "such as losing their job, their family, even access to their children". | However, Bing's warning message does not seem to go as far as Prime Minister David Cameron's call for a message warning people of the consequences a criminal conviction for their actions could have "such as losing their job, their family, even access to their children". |
| He also called for the internet companies to block certain searches from even providing results. | He also called for the internet companies to block certain searches from even providing results. |
| "There are some searches which are so abhorrent and where there can be no doubt whatsoever about the sick and malevolent intent of the searcher," the prime minister said in a speech. | "There are some searches which are so abhorrent and where there can be no doubt whatsoever about the sick and malevolent intent of the searcher," the prime minister said in a speech. |
| 'Positive step' | 'Positive step' |
| Google said it had a "zero tolerance attitude to child sexual abuse imagery". | Google said it had a "zero tolerance attitude to child sexual abuse imagery". |
| A company spokesman said: "We use our own systems and work with child safety experts to find it, remove and report it. We recently donated $5m (£3.3m) to groups working to combat this problem and are committed to continuing the dialogue with the government on these issues." | A company spokesman said: "We use our own systems and work with child safety experts to find it, remove and report it. We recently donated $5m (£3.3m) to groups working to combat this problem and are committed to continuing the dialogue with the government on these issues." |
| A Ceop report this year highlighted how the "hidden internet" helped distributers of child abuse images to evade detection by using encrypted networks and other secure methods. | A Ceop report this year highlighted how the "hidden internet" helped distributers of child abuse images to evade detection by using encrypted networks and other secure methods. |
| Ceop deputy chief executive Andy Baker said: "This is a positive step in the right direction to deterring potential offenders from accessing indecent images of children on the internet. But it is a small, initial part of the solution to prevent child sexual abuse, protect children and pursue offenders. | Ceop deputy chief executive Andy Baker said: "This is a positive step in the right direction to deterring potential offenders from accessing indecent images of children on the internet. But it is a small, initial part of the solution to prevent child sexual abuse, protect children and pursue offenders. |
| "While the Bing project isn't the whole solution, I hope it goes some way to making those who are curious about searching for indecent images think again." | "While the Bing project isn't the whole solution, I hope it goes some way to making those who are curious about searching for indecent images think again." |
| Ceop acknowledged its "blacklist" could not include every search term that might lead to images of abuse. | Ceop acknowledged its "blacklist" could not include every search term that might lead to images of abuse. |
| John Carr, from the Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety, told the BBC: "To hardened technology-sophisticated technology-literate paedophiles, these pop-ups will probably make very little difference. | John Carr, from the Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety, told the BBC: "To hardened technology-sophisticated technology-literate paedophiles, these pop-ups will probably make very little difference. |
| "But there is a very large number of men who perhaps have a marginal interest in this type of material and we need to stop them getting any further engaged with it." | "But there is a very large number of men who perhaps have a marginal interest in this type of material and we need to stop them getting any further engaged with it." |
| Mr Carr said the internet companies were all focusing on the problem of child abuse material. | Mr Carr said the internet companies were all focusing on the problem of child abuse material. |
| In June, after a meeting chaired by the culture secretary, the government said Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Twitter and Facebook would allow the charity the Internet Watch Foundation actively to seek out abusive images, rather than just acting upon reports they received. | In June, after a meeting chaired by the culture secretary, the government said Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Twitter and Facebook would allow the charity the Internet Watch Foundation actively to seek out abusive images, rather than just acting upon reports they received. |