Microsoft to restrict Chinese blogs

The Washington Times ^ | 6-14-05 | UPI

[JZelle]

Beijing, China, Jun. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. software giant Microsoft, citing local laws, will block words like "democracy" when used by Chinese bloggers via its net service in that country.

MSN China, launched last month, is used by the bloggers to post their thoughts. But now words such as "freedom," "democracy," "demonstration," "human rights," and "Taiwan independence" are being blocked, the BBC reported Tuesday.

The company said it must abide by the laws and regulations of each country in which it operates. Chinese bloggers already face strict controls and must register their online journal with Chinese authorities.

Reporters Without Borders said in a statement: "The lack of ethics on the part of these companies is extremely worrying. Their management frequently justifies collaboration with Chinese censorship by saying that all they are doing is obeying local legislation."

Yahoo and Google also have been criticized for restricting what people can search for and read online, the report said.

[Firefigher NC]

Gotta love those leftists.

[Capt. Jake]

Anything for a buck.

[The_Victor]

"The lack of ethics on the part of these companies is extremely worrying. Their management frequently justifies collaboration with Chinese censorship by saying that all they are doing is obeying local legislation."

Microsoft abides by the totalitarian rules of the Chicom government, and somehow it's Microsoft's fault?

[OB1kNOb]

...for the love of money is the root of all evil.......

[VeniVidiVici]

Reporters Without Borders said in a statement: "The lack of ethics on the part of these companies is extremely worrying. Their management frequently justifies collaboration with Chinese censorship by saying that all they are doing is obeying local legislation

Isn't this about what CNN said as their reasoning for collaborating with Saddam?

[FreeInWV]

If they are as competent at that as they are at blocking spam & viruses, we have nothing to fear. Thoze poor chinese kidz will just need to learn to type a leetle differently.

[MarineBrat]

Dem0crcy won't be stopped by silly filters!

[snowsislander]

Any of our elected "representatives" rushing forward to condemn this? Not likely.

If anything, it appears that there is some discussion of suppressing political speech by our own FEC: An End To 'Everybody's Press'?

[historyb]

Should anyone be surprised? After all it is Microsoft, defender of closed source and non-freedom

[GingisK]

The company said it must abide by the laws and regulations of each country in which it operates...

If I were "king", I'd just not do business in such nations. But then, Microsoft never was motivated by what is morally right.

[ZeitgeistSurfer]

Is there an equivalent in Chinese for fr**d*m, d*m****cy, etc? We need to get spamers working on this problem immediately!

[tfecw]

I won't stand in your unreasonable MS bashing for too long, but:
"Yahoo and Google also have been criticized for restricting what people can search for and read online, the report said."

[Finalapproach29er]

This nation has filled with go-along, get-along cowards.The big corporations ARE the biggest problem, as I see it.

Karma will hopefully come around on these unprincipled whores.