Microsoft Works With Gov't To Censor Chinese Blogs (words like "freedom")

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.channel3000.com/irresistible/4605275/detail.html

Microsoft Works With Government To Censor Chinese Blogs

POSTED: 6:01 am CDT June 14, 2005

SHANGHAI, China -- The Web site may say Microsoft, but in China, Big Brother is still apparently watching.

Computer users on Microsoft's MSN China portal get a scolding message any time they type in terms like "democracy," "freedom" or "human rights." The site then tells them to delete the prohibited words.

Microsoft said it's cooperating with Chinese government efforts to censor language on blogs in the communist country, noting that's the requirement for offering services in China.

It's not just politically sensitive words that aren't allowed. Obscenities and sexual references also are barred. However, the restrictions appear to apply only to the subject lines that users type in. Writing them into the text, with a less controversial subject heading, seems not to be a problem.

[Pockets]

1. Really? This is not good....

Microsoft is what, one of the biggest corporations in the world? They could take a stand on this if they had any sense of what's right.

[LondonAmerican]

5. Microsoft is a rapacious monopolist

which has no moral or ethical sense. As an ex-MSFT employee, I can assure you it's all about doing whatever it takes -- with no scruples -- to make Bill Gates even richer than he is now.

[Pockets]

8. I know how naive this sounds, but...

Is that even legal? If M.S. is a U.S. company it 'shouldn't' be legal for it to assist in foreign governments' human rights violations, IMO.

[LondonAmerican]

11. completely legal

unfortunately.

[wtmusic]

2. Freedom is on the march

unless there's a buck to be made

I bet all that China money is going straight to fixing XP bugs, isn't it Bill?

[dr.zoidberg]

3. No surprises here.

Remember the corporate mantra: Profit>Morality. Heh, I can see how to get around the filters now: teh Fr33d0m.

[Walt Starr]

4. Coming soon to the USA... n/t

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

9. Yes, that was my reason for posting this...

...if Microsoft can "help" China, they can also "help"...



...maybe it's a "dry run."

[Pockets]

10. They do that

with cell phone and other emerging techonolgies... test them in Asia before market them here.

It's important to remember that if we allow others' rights to be violated, we might as well be doing it to ourselves.

[Pockets]

6. Looks like 'Freedom' is to China what 'Liberal' is to the U.S. n/t

[understandinglife]

7. Horsey comments:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/horsey/viewbydate.asp?id=1223

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[Kraklen]

12. Was that China's or Microsoft's idea?

hard to tell these days.

[EC]

13. If Bill Gates approved of this then he's no better than

Rubert Murdock...