Tel-Chai Nation

Now this is certainly disturbing, because what if MSN were to also try and suppress free speech when it comes to speaking out against Islamofascism? (Thank goodness the United Nations isn't the one in charge of monitoring the internet!) WorldNetDaily (via Lost Budgie Blog) reports on the startling story of how Bill Gates' company wiped out the blog of a Chinese dissident critical of the sadly still Communist-run country:

Most countries, the Microsoft rep continued, "have laws and practices that require companies providing online services to make the Internet safe for local users. Occasionally, as in China, local laws and practices require consideration of unique elements."

But CNET News.com says questions remain as to why a site believed to be hosted in the United States must comply with Chinese law.

Responding to futher questions, Microsoft stated the company is "a multinational business and, as such, needs to manage the reality of operating in countries around the world."

Tsk tsk tsk. Once again, money is put before morality. Gates had his run-ins with lawsuits a few years ago, but what he did here is a real embarrassment. And enough to make me want to avoid their services altogether (I once had a Hotmail account, but let it expire years ago).

Let this also be an important lesson that, just like we need to be on the lookout for internet companies complying with Chinese law, we also need to be alert for companies that could end up complying with Shari`a (Islamic) law, or even the United Nations' own corrupt "law"!

The Corante blog and Rebecca MacKinnon report that MSN's been taking down quite a lot of blogs with anti-Communist standings, especially ones in Chinese language. As explained here:

...Apparently, MSN Spaces -- not the Chinese government mind you -- is censoring Chinese language MSN-hosted blogs worldwide. Even those hosted in the US with US authors. They have made users' Spaces 'not available', such as those written by Zhao Jing, aka Michael Anti, one of the most outspoken Chinese bloggers. But Rebecca goes on to describe how she set up a MSN hosted blog, and was able to have that blog censored and then made 'not available' simply by using various inflammatory terms like "Falun Gong" and "Tiananmen massacre."

Good heavens! Does this mean, in other words, that MSN is using some kind of word detection system to tell if anyone's criticizing the Commie government of China? One more reason not to use MSN's services.

Labels: Asia, China, communications