Microsoft said in a statement that the decision to unplug Zhao was inline with its practice of "ensuring that products and services comply with global and local laws, norms, and industry practices."So I reckon Microsoft took down Zhao Jing's blog because it is unsafe for Chinese readers? I say that's full of crap! Nice work Microsoft. I'm sure after this act the Chinese government will love you guys more.
"Most countries have laws and practices that require companies providing online services to make the Internet safe for local users," the company said. "Occasionally, as in China, local laws and practices require consideration of unique elements.”
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Tags: china, msn spaces, microsoft
7 comments:
yup...so unsafe that it will lead to china's downfall. ha.
Microsoft, Google and Yahoo - all big names who just couldn't say no to China.
Don't worry too much... give it time. China is where the real money is (big population = big market) so it isn't exactly surprising that companies tend to yield to them. The covering statement these companies make is that they abid by the law of the respective countries they do business in.
For example, here is last year's news on Yahoo's Chinese Censorship agreement.
There's also a whole timeline of what has been happening in China available in ONI's Internet Filtering in China report for 2005. I wrote my technical research report on China's censorship measures based on this.
If you've been monitoring the news on China's Internet regulations, it's much like Singapore in the past. They are slowly opening up their media outlets (e.g. broadcast, internet). I do have faith that the Chinese govt will eventually learn to be accepting of foreign ideologies instead of feeling the need to be culturally protective. It's just typical for the masses to focus on the bad news and not realize the positive changes around them.
Any government in the world can force a hosting company to take down a blog or a site that it feels shouldn't be online.
The problem isn't with the likes of Google or Yahoo, it is actually with these governments who are so afraid of online free speech.
Google is a big company and like other big companies, its number one priority is making more money.
China is where the money is at. To incur the wrath of the Chinese govt means the possibility of no business for these companies there.
Tough situation indeed.
FUCK CHINA n' all those who r against freedom of speech!!!!!!!!
As one Mel Gibson will say,
"FREEEEDOOOOM!!!!"
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