Windows Live Messenger blocks links to The Pirate Bay
updated 04:20 pm EDT, Mon March 26, 2012
Microsoft blocks IMs containing Pirate Bay links
Windows Live Messenger is now blocking links to The Pirate Bay, The Verge has learned. The move isn't relegated to links from the illegal sharing site, however, as Microsoft has gone on record to say its chat program blocks messages that contain malicious or spam URLs, third-party sources and user complaints. It's entirely based on intelligence algorithms.
These algorithms judged Pirate Bay links to be included in this definition, and thus blocked them. Exactly how they are malicious or spam isn't clear, however, but the SmartScreen filters pick them up.
The links are blocked even when they're sent from a user's approved contact. Microsoft is doing so as part of its effort to protect its customers, though in this case what it's protecting them from is also unstated. If more companies adapt this approach, it could lead to complaints related to privacy complaints and Microsoft itself may catch some backlash.
