Microsoft is under fire for letting the communist powers-that-be in China dictate and censor the internet and blogs. Even while we have people like the Baghdad Blogger, and Free Iraqi, as well as people using the net to read news that wasn't previously available to us under the blanket of the liberal MSM, Microsoft is allowing China to ban words like Freedom, Human Rights, and Democracy.

The world's largest software maker said that its "MSN Spaces" service operated out of China, which allows users to set up their own blogs, or online journals, was acting in accordance with local laws.

"MSN abides by the laws, regulations and norms of each country in which it operates," said Brooke Richardson, MSN lead product manager.

The move comes as the Chinese government attempts to tighten control over the Internet. Last week, a media watchdog group said China would close unregistered China-based domestic web sites and blogs. About three-quarters of domestic Web sites had complied with the registration orders, the group, Reporters without Borders said, citing Chinese figures.

Why do I think it will still be permissable to input things like "Schoolgirl gangbang" and "nigger" and "make bomb" and "prostitute", but not okay to type former and current leaders' names such as "Mao Zedong" or "Hu Jintao"?

Other blog sites lashed out at Microsoft. Online tech forum Slashdot had user comments calling the censorship a "really really awful thing" and accusing the software giant of trying to appease China's government in the interest of conducting business.

Matt Rosoff, analyst at Directions on Microsoft, an independent research firm in Kirkland, Washington, pointed out that any censorship by Microsoft's online service was relatively minor compared to the broader censorship by the Chinese government over all Internet activity.

With all due respect, Mr Rosoff, just because they're worse doesn't mean you're any better.

Update: Commenter Richard_From_NY sends this link from the Wall Street Journal. The link will not be available for long, so here's an excerpt. and it's pretty sad:

All of these Internet companies make the point that it is better to make a compromise, gain a foothold in China and then offer China's masses the smorgasbord of information that is out there.

That view got backing from none other than Colin Powell, who happened to be in Hong Kong this week as this story was breaking. Microsoft figured it is "best for them and better for Chinese citizens to get 95% of the loaf," the former Secretary of State said at a conference when we asked him what he thought of an American company banning the word "freedom." While acknowledging that "Microsoft, and Google, and other information providers, have had to make a compromise that we wouldn't find acceptable in the United States," Mr. Powell said, "I think it's probably best for them to make that kind of compromise." Mr. Powell added that he thought the Chinese government was fighting a losing battle in thought control over the Internet, at least "if Chinese teenagers are like the teenagers in my family."

Mr Powell, since when was freedom a dirty word? Shame on you - you should know better!

Thanks, Richard.