Microsoft Bans Democracy

[d0pp]

This was just posted on Slashdot.

Doc Ruby writes "As reported, paradoxically, on MSN, 'Microsoft's new Chinese internet portal has banned the words 'democracy' and 'freedom' from parts of its website in an apparent effort to avoid offending Beijing's political censors.' MSN China says it must comply with local laws, but there is no Chinese law against the use of the use of these words."

Slashdot Article
Original Article

Orwellian prediction, or just a courtesy to local ideals? What do y'all think?

[RoadClosed]

If you operate in a foreign country you just can't say **** local politics. News flash, China IS NOT a democracy.

[rcgreen]

You can't expect business weasels to have a spine, or ethics.
Corporations are on auto-pilot, seeking the next dollar.

Actually, that's not such a bad thing, because if you
(and a few million others) lean hard on them they will cave and do
your bidding. China doesn't have to come right out and make
their requests explicit. The privelige of doing business in
China is a great motivator. I would imagine that some US
companies were still doing business with the nazis right up to the
declaration of war.

http://www.ranknfile-ue.org/uen_nastybiz.html

[MrLinus]

News flash, China IS NOT a democracy.

Then again, neither is a company.

[RoadClosed]

Depends on the company. Some are ruthless dictator ships. Some are good dictatorships. Some are governed by a board of directors that "vote" on all decisions. A sort of parlimentary representative democracy. However some of these board of directors are self appointed where others are elected by investors or customers.

[zENGER]

Just because there is no written word saying they requested this, doesn't mean they didn't ask for it "off the record"

[gothic_type]

So what? There is a multitude of censorship employed in all western countries, yet people do not generally care about it. So they banned two words? Certain words are banned on the radio. Even if the Chinese authorities asked for the words to be banned, it was Microsoft's decision to actually implement this policy, therefore it is Microsoft who is responsible.

ac

[nabylbt]

I understand the chinese point of vue: " Let's not get our youth corrupted by the idea of the capitalistic world" (yes i made up that quote !) afterall they rule their country and they do whaet they want in it.
The interresting part is about Microsoft is that they follow they customer's need (china) about no democracy and freedom and Microsoft is not listenning to their other customers about the usual complaint to ms (monopoly, expensise, lack of security ....)
So is there a differential treatment of customer from Microsoft ?

[RoadClosed]

So is there a differential treatment of customer from Microsoft ?

Absolutely. One would treat a customer in the Middle East different from Asia. And in Asia one would treat a customer in China different from Japan. Chances are MSN China is an entirely owned subsidiary anyway. Yahoo and other portals do the same thing. A search on Yahoo Japan will be a completely different map than one in the USA.

[Evil Moo]

Business are not here to set us all free, they are here to make money. They cator to the customer that provides them with money, and that is all.