{"id":24694,"date":"2019-01-24T15:33:05","date_gmt":"2019-01-24T15:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/packetstormsecurity.com\/news\/view\/29748\/Microsofts-Bing-Search-Engine-Inaccessible-In-China.html"},"modified":"2019-01-24T15:33:05","modified_gmt":"2019-01-24T15:33:05","slug":"microsofts-bing-search-engine-inaccessible-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/microsofts-bing-search-engine-inaccessible-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft’s Bing Search Engine Inaccessible In China"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"AImage copyright<\/span> Getty Images<\/span> <\/span> <\/figure>\n

US tech giant Microsoft has confirmed that its search engine Bing is currently inaccessible in China. <\/p>\n

Social media users have expressed concern that the search engine might be the latest foreign website to be blocked by censors. <\/p>\n

Chinese authorities operate a firewall that blocks many US tech platforms, including Facebook and Twitter. <\/p>\n

Microsoft hasn’t said if the outage may be due to censorship, or is merely a technical problem. <\/p>\n

“We’ve confirmed that Bing is currently inaccessible in China and are engaged to determine next steps,” Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement. <\/p>\n

A BBC correspondent in China attempted to visit the site, and was able to access it through a Chinese internet provider on a desktop, but not on a smartphone.<\/p>\n

Many US tech companies are keen to tap into the Chinese market, but have a difficult relationship with the authorities in Beijing. <\/p>\n

The government’s internet censorship regime, often known as the “Great Firewall”, uses a series of technical measures to block foreign platforms and controversial content. <\/p>\n

Chinese authorities have also cracked down on Virtual Private Networks, which allow users to skirt around the firewall.<\/p>\n

China-based messaging services and social media are restricted, with key words and expressions blocked<\/a> if they express dissent or ridicule senior political leaders.<\/p>\n

China ambitions <\/h2>\n

Bing’s rival Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010, after rows with the authorities over censorship and hacking. <\/p>\n

Google has said that it has no immediate plans to re-launch a search engine in China, but has admitted it has looked closely at the idea<\/a>. <\/p>\n