Microsoft China Blocks Words ‘democracy’, ‘freedom’

[Spinner]

The users of Microsoft's new China-based internet portal were recently blocked from using the words ‘democracy’, ‘freedom’ and ‘human rights’ in a move by the software giant to please Beijing.

View: MSN China Homepage (http://www.msn.com.cn/)

If a user attempts to post one of these words in his blog, he would recieve the following message: "this item should not contain forbidden speech such as profanity. Please enter a different word for this item.
Source: Neowin.net (http://www.neowin.net/comments.php?id=28937&category=main)

[primesuspect]

screw principles! The almighty dollar is much, much more important!

:shakehead

[Lincoln]

http://students.juniata.edu/russeml2/smile/confused-rolleyes/guh.gif


That's so, so low...

[Rewired]

Boo Microsoft for agreeing to such terms!

[Gargoyle]

screw principles! The almighty dollar is much, much more important!

:shakeheadThe Microsoft Mantra.

I have a hard time believing it, though. How can Beijing take such a public stand against principles it pays lip service to?

[Jolyon33]

The government of China only sells the idea of economic freedom. Any real political power is to remain firmly in the hands of the communist party.

Its really sad that such a powerful corporation as Microsoft would suck up to the communists in such a pathetic manner.

[RWB]

Not surprised, nor would I be for most corporations.

[289Mustang]

I have read where Yahoo and other similar websites were already doing the same thing. Microsoft just sunk to their level.

[^Ben]

Microsoft isnt above the law, if they want to trade in a country they abide by their rules.

Also most of my PC components are made in china and so is probably alot of yours, the tax from those sales go into the goverment that enforces this rule. So before spewing the rethoric look at yourself first.

[jradmin]

Microsoft isnt above the law, if they want to trade in a country they abide by their rules.

Also most of my PC components are made in china and so is probably alot of yours, the tax from those sales go into the goverment that enforces this rule. So before spewing the rethoric look at yourself first.


Well, if components could be made here in america and sold at the same price...then I would agree with you. Fact of the matter is that they cant and wont be because there are no real labor laws or human rights in China. A 5 year old kid works in a factory making these things for at the most buck fifty an hour pay. No civilized country can crank out the products these countries do at the price they charge.

So, until you either go out there and start a company that can charge prices to compete with the communist world yet paying your employees a good wage or find me a list of companies that produce components in countries that value human rights with the same prices I agree with all the posters above you and continue to spread the rethoric.

[^Ben]

Oh, so it's a money issue?

Just like Microsoft has the money issue, a company has to increase it's profit margin, almost hypocritical wouldnt you say?

You want Microsoft to eat into their profits, while you are unwilling to spend that extra money for the components on your PC.

[jradmin]

Oh, so it's a money issue?

Just like Microsoft has the money issue, a company has to increase it's profit margin, almost hypocritical wouldnt you say?

You want Microsoft to eat into their profits, while you are unwilling to spend that extra money for the components on your PC.


Well, convince OPEC to drop prices so that gas goes down, fix inflation, stop recession, outlaw overseas outsourcing, crack down on illegal aliens, and fix the 10000000 problems causing John Q Taxpayer like myself to have to buy forign parts and perhaps I'll switch.

If you want to live middle class now days, then you have to buy cheap. Theres no alternative unless your mega rich or your mooching off mom and pop. Look at YOUR government in whatever country your in...because they are the ones who are governing your ability to buy parts from forign or domestic companies.

[Gargoyle]

I think the point Mr Ben makes is that we can do something to not back the practices in other countries we deem unacceptable. But, the vast majority of us won't yield an inch of our middleclass lifestyle. It's far more important than our principles, when they come into conflict.

[FAH_WW]

It's also the reason why you'll not see a car with good MPG ratings in the US, no offence intended - you guys like a big engine, V8 perhaps, and cars that are very large compared to say Europe, let alone Asian countries.

Your roads are built for it though.

It's the same with Kyoto or whatever it was called - the US chucked that out when the price of staying in the agreement was considered too high.

Economy-based choices will always be there. It is worth pushing to get conditions improved throughout the world, and then it will eventually happen.

There is always a 'bad side' - people want cheap X, so production moves to cheap labour country. That means jobs are lost in your own country for those on lower wages. That's the way it is. So then you protest against off-shoring.

It's all a balancing act, and you do have some power with your vote to tweak it.

At least we are able to use those words :D

[Private_Snoball]

In response to Ben, I'd like to say that most of my stuff is made in Malaysia :)

[TheSmJ]

Anandtech.com took a tour of ABit's facilities in China. People there make an average of $100 a month. A MONTH! We're talking computer engineers too. The kind of people who would be paid hundreds of thousands a year here in the states for doing the same thing.

Still doesn't stop me from buying ABit's products though. I know if I stopped buying their stuff, I'd be the only one at a loss since 99.999% of the population couldn't give a **** less, thus ABit wouldn't see even the slightest divit in profit loss due to my actions. Therefore I'd be a hipocrite for blaming Microsoft for agreeing to China's laws.

[FAH_WW]

Couldnt agree more ;)

[topherice]

http://students.juniata.edu/russeml2/smile/confused-rolleyes/guh.gif


That's so, so low...


WTF...Were talking China here...Last I heard the ruling political party is The Communist Party of China (CPC). Why's it so shocking to everyone that they label 'Democracy, and 'Freedom' as profanity?
:scratch:

[Leonardo]

It all boils down to a classic argument over how to deal with despotic one-party states (Soviet Union, Cuba, former Warsaw Pact nations, Peoples Republic of China...). Both of the arguments merit respect in my opinion:

1. Ostracize the nation by not allowing trade. Let the people see how stifling and inept their government is.

2. Become economically involved, so that the the people of the nation will be exposed to foreign concepts and ways of doing things, thereby enlightening them.

Cuba for instance. A large part of the US population, including the majority of Cuban-Americans, wants no trade between the US and Cuba. Right? Wrong? Beats me.

I don't think China will be able to maintain a semi-capitalist economy simultaneously with a communist government. Additionally, the Chinese government is rife with corruption. Something will snap someday, just as in the former Soviet Union.

[TheSmJ]

I guess just about all of the big Chinese manufacturers operate in a perticular "state" of China where many of the rules are relaxed, allowing the country to compete easily with forign markets. It's an abvious band-aid to keep the country from falling apart, but so far it's all they need.

Leishi has family and friends there. I wonder how he feels about this?

[Camman]

screw principles! The almighty dollar is much, much more important!

:shakehead

Google filters search results from addresses originating in China, same thing, or the government would just block their site from being accessed at all.

If people want to bust out word like 'principles', well if there was such an outrage about this than people would stop using products from a company that they thought went against their principles to earn a buck.