The goal of Bing and their popular Bing Search product is to help users make informed decisions. Whether users are looking to visit the best ice cream shop in their area, buy affordable tickets to a concert, find the perfect gift, or anything else from the multitude of information available online, Bing Search is there to make it easily accessible.
In response to the rapid increase of internet pharmacies – some of which participate in illegal or illegitimate practices – Bing announced on Thursday, August 6th that warnings for high-risk pharmacies will appear on Bing Search results pages. The search interface will be synced with the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) list of Internet Pharmacy Warning Letters, which cites fake pharmacies that offer potentially unsafe, counterfeit, unapproved, or illegal prescription drugs online. This will ensure users have the most accurate information at all times.
When a user clicks on a website cited by the FDA, the following warning will appear:
Like many other warnings available through the Bing Search interface, the user will not be restricted from entering the site if they choose to do so. The warning, however, will caution users of the risks involved and offer links to helpful resources so they can make safer choices.
Not Without Error
As with anything, error is possible. If you have a pharmacy and believe your site is mislabeled, check to see if your company is listed on the FDA list. If you’re on the list, contact the FDA Internet Pharmacy Task Force. If you are not on the list, report the error through the Bing Listens page. It’s crucial that you solve the issue immediately because a negative warning can cause significant damage on your overall SEO and can rapidly decrease your web traffic.