Microsoft Photo: VCG

US search engine Bing, owned by Microsoft Corp, said on Monday that it has been required to suspend its auto-suggestion function in the Chinese mainland, citing government requirements. 

Chinese experts noted that the move should not be over-interpreted, as China's cyberspace regulators have been boosting protection of data security and users' privacy, and that all domestic and foreign firms should follow relevant Chinese laws and regulations.

On Monday, Bing posted a notice on its website, saying that it has been required by the relevant government agency to suspend the search auto-suggestion feature in the Chinese mainland for seven days.

"Bing is a global search platform and remains committed to respect the rule of law and users' right to access information and help users find information to the greatest feasible under applicable laws," it said on its Chinese search site.

As of press time, Microsoft had not responded to a request for comment.

"Although the specific reasons have not been disclosed, this move should not be over-interpreted," Liu Dingding, a veteran industry observer, told the Global Times on Monday.

Liu added that with the improvement of China's internet-related laws and regulations, some internet products of domestic companies are often required to suspend service for rectification or even be removed, while Bing belongs to a US company, so media outlets are more sensitive to its suspension.

This is not the first time that Bing has been required to suspend the auto-suggestion function in China. On December 17, 2021, relevant authorities suspended the same service for 30 days, according to a notice on Bing's Chinese website.

On January 17, 2022, its auto-suggestion function could be used normally in China. 

Liu said that all technology companies in China should operate their products in accordance with the country's relevant laws. "This is a basic consensus of internet management," Liu added.

According to data compiled by Statcounter, a web analytic platform, in 2021, Baidu accounted for 83.97 percent of China's search engine market, ranking first, while Bing was in second place with a share of 5.52 percent.

Global Times