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China govt asks Microsoft's search engine Bing to suspend auto-suggestion

China govt asks Microsoft's search engine Bing to suspend auto-suggestion

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Microsoft's search engine Bing has been required by the Chinese authority to suspend its auto-suggest function for seven days. Multiple reports said that Bing, which is the only foreign search engine available in China, has been required by a relevant government agency to suspend the service. Last December, Bing was also required by Chinese authorities to stop providing the similar service for 30 days amid the government's continuous crackdown on technology platforms and algorithms.

Bing also said on its Chinese site that it "remains committed to respecting the rule of law and users' right to access information." The platform also said it will continue to help users find information to the greatest extent feasible under applicable laws. It is unclear when the suspension began, but the platform's users in China started to take notice on Saturday. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Microsoft for more comments.

Since last year, Microsoft has downsized its operations in China. In October 2021, LinkedIn said it was shutting its localised service in China. The Microsoft-owned platform said in a blog post that the decision comes as it faces "a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China". "While we’ve found success in helping Chinese members find jobs and economic opportunity, we have not found that same level of success in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed," it said.

Moving forward, Linkedin planned to launch InJobs, a new, standalone jobs app focused on helping China-based professionals find jobs in China and Chinese companies to find quality candidates. InJobs will not include a social feed or the ability to share posts or articles. Meanwhile, the company said it will also continue to work with Chinese businesses to help them create economic opportunities.

The professional networking platform entered China in 2014, agreeing to requirements of the Chinese government to create value for its members in China. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the latest move by LinkedIn marks the end of the last major American social media network operating openly in the country. Google exited the market in 2010 while Facebook and Twitter have been blocked in China since 2009. Clubhouse and Signal were also blocked this year.

LinkedIn has been often used by Chinese exporters and businessmen to connect with foreign buyers, hoping to drum up interest and sales overseas, WSJ reported. However, many Chinese internet users, particularly those working in the technology sector, tend to use a local professional networking app called Maimai, which is operated by Beijing Taou Tianxia Technology Development. LinkedIn is also up against the intense competition in the Chinese job-seeking app market, with rivals such as Zhaopin, WSJ added.

 

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