Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Violates Human Rights in China

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the thats-just-plain-scary dept.

gexen writes "According to this article in The Guardian, 'Amnesty believes Microsoft is in violation of a new United Nations Human Rights code for multinationals which says businesses should 'seek to ensure that the goods and services they provide will not be used to abuse human rights'. The article basically states that 'Gate's firm supplied technology used to trap Chinese dissidents'."

3 of 642 comments (clear)

  1. No Details by alset_tech · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Of course, the article doesn't really pin down what control M$ is offering China that they didn't already have. No specifics to tell us where M$ stopped developing regular software and started aiding in HR violations.

    --
    Standing on the shoulders of giants.
  2. This just in! by Tokerat · · Score: 4, Interesting

    According to this article in The Guardian, 'Amnesty believes Ford Motors is in violation of a new United Nations Human Rights code for multinationals which says businesses should 'seek to ensure that the goods and services they provide will not be used to abuse human rights'. The article basically states that '[the] firm supplied technology used to run over Chinese dissidents'.
    I hate Microsoft because of their product quality, and strong-arm market dominance tactics. Honestly, however, what the HELL is Amnesty thinking? I do believe I'd have to say that Redmond is in the clear on this one...

    I mean, did the conversation go like this or something?

    China: Hello? We need OS package for five hundred government computer!
    Microsoft: Alright, would you like Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional?
    China: Whichever one better for trapping dissidents!
    --
    CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
  3. Re:Misleading/slanderous headline by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I do think that companies should be held accountable to who the sell to, particularly if they know what it will be used for.

    Granted, the company doesn't always know how the user will use it, and can't control that, but if they know what will happen then the ethical thing would be to refuse services. It is really too bad that companies are more worried about the next quarter than how their actions will go into history books.

    Would any software or network company think that history would treat them well if they sold software and equipment that was used to round up and massacre dissidents? Heck, many US companies dealt with Germany and in my opinion, openly abetted in human rights abuses, although I will grant, none of those companies caught sufficient hell for what they did, but now is a time to start.

    Why would it be so wrong to scale that down to lesser crimes against humanity?