Microsoft Partners With StopNCII to Block Deepfake Porn From Bing Search
Microsoft integrates with StopNCII to automatically scrub nonconsensual deepfake nude images from Bing search results. The move highlights a growing industry effort as Google faces criticism for declining to adopt the same technology.
Microsoft introduces a new tool to combat the spread of AI-generated deepfake pornography by partnering with the organization StopNCII. This partnership allows victims to create a digital fingerprint, or hash, of explicit images on their personal devices so that Bing automatically blocks those images from appearing in search results. During a recent pilot program leading up to the end of August, Microsoft reports that it takes action on 268,000 explicit images discovered through Bing image search.
By joining StopNCII, Bing aligns itself with major social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, and Snapchat that already use this hash-sharing system. Microsoft states that its previous method of relying on direct user reports does not scale effectively enough to solve the problem. The company recognizes that proactive scanning is necessary to prevent victims' synthetic images from being easily accessible through search queries.
This development puts additional pressure on Google, which continues to rely on its own internal reporting tools rather than partnering with StopNCII. Critics point out that Google handles a significantly larger volume of search traffic, making the lack of integration a major gap in protecting victims. Meanwhile, the United States lacks a comprehensive federal law against nonconsensual deepfake pornography, leaving authorities to rely on a patchwork of state laws and local lawsuits to address the growing crisis.