All the latest UK technology news, reviews and analysis

Bing in the dock over rogue pharmacy site ads

by Phil Muncaster

06 Aug 2009

Comment: 1

  • Tweet this
Bing
Bing has come under fire from a new report

Microsoft's online advertising platform has been found wanting just days after inking a lucrative search and advertising deal with Yahoo, after a new report claimed that rogue internet pharmacies are advertising on its Bing search site.

The No Prescription Required report (PDF), released by anti-spam company KnujOn and online verification firm LegitScript, said that nearly 90 per cent of the sponsored pharmaceutical adverts found on Bing "led to 'rogue' internet pharmacies that do not require a prescription for prescription drugs, or are otherwise acting unlawfully or fraudulently".

The report also alleged that some of the adverts appeared to be for a legitimate US-based internet pharmacy, but clicked through to a different, illegal pharmacy site.

Some of these rogue online pharmacies are actually fronts for Russian organised crime gangs, according to KnujOn and LegitScript.

The authors said that they intend to release similar studies naming and shaming "US-based corporations that facilitate, and/or profit from, 'rogue' internet pharmacies".

A Microsoft spokesperson said the firm is "currently investigating the issue ".

"Microsoft’s guidelines clearly require online pharmacies who advertise on Bing to adhere to US laws," the spokesperson added.

Do you agree?

 

Add your comment

We won't publish your address
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms & Conditions. Your comment will be moderated before publication.

Poll

Flame virus poll

Are you confident that the UK's IT infrastructure is secure from attack in the wake of the Flame malware revelations?

34%

0%

11%

55%

Connect with V3.co.uk

Sign up to our daily or weekly newsletters

Symanteccloud

Social networking: a guide for IT managers

Social networking is almost ubiquitous. This white paper examines the benefits and risks and it looks at the different ways companies can reconcile them

Riverbed

Mitigating the risks of IT change

The importance of understanding your infrastructure

Contract Systems Administrator, Windows £320 per day

Contract Systems Administrator, Southampton My...

PHP Web Developer, PHP, to £30k + 30% bonus

PHP Web Developer required to join my market-leading...

Java Developer x2, Spring, Hibernate, £40K

Java Developer x2, Spring, Hibernate, Swindon, £40K...

Business Readiness/ Change manager

As part of a major implementation of a new inventory...

To send to more than one email address, simply separate each address with a comma.