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Microsoft Blocks Messenger In Five Embargoed Countries

Posted by Soulskill on from the but-can-they-still-tweet dept.

Spooky McSpookster writes "Microsoft has turned off its Windows Live Messenger service for five countries: Cuba, Syria, Iran, Sudan, and North Korea. Users in these countries trying to log in get the following error: '810003c1: We were unable to sign you in to the .NET Messenger Service.' Why now, since this flies in the face of the Obama administration's softening stance on Cuba? This isn't the first time the US trade embargo has had questionable outcomes. US-based Syrian political activist George Ajjan created a web site promoting democracy in Syria, only to find GoDaddy blocked anyone inside Syria from seeing it. The article argues, 'Messenger is a medium for communication, and the citizens of these countries should not be punished from such a basic tool because the US has problems with their governments' policies.' What does this say for the wisdom of non-US citizens relying on US companies for their business or communication?"

6 of 194 comments (clear)

  1. About the same by OpenSourced · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What does this say for the wisdom of non-US citizens relying on US companies for their business or communication?

    About the same as the wisdom of US citizens relying on US companies for their business or communication. The ones are about as likely as the others, to end up with a strange feeling on their backsides.

    --
    Rome taught me patience and assiduous application to detail. Virtues which temper the boldness of great, general views.
  2. Microsoft does what is good for Microsoft by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They don't do what is good for "people" in general and they don't claim to do so.

    This is true of every big corporation. It's probably true of any group where liability for actions are taken away.

  3. wow, pretty biased by deft · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm not a lover or hater of MS, but I know when a article is biased.

    Right after the writer says "it's not clear that Microsoft was ordered to make this change, so what made the company decide that US-embargoed countries aren't worthy of Messenger? Why now?".

    If it's not clear, why assume they chose? Why say they aren't worthy... clearly MS thought they were for some time. MS gets no good from blocking it, they just want users. Maybe their lawyers had been arguing with the government and finally there was a decision.

    Noone knows... which means don't conclude anything. More info needed.

    --

    There's nothing Intelligent about Intelligent Design.
  4. Step one: Aim at foot. by vivaelamor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How pointless, hopefully everyone will switch to something non commercial like Jabber and the only ones to suffer will be Microsoft.

  5. And nothing of value was lost by ickleberry · · Score: 5, Insightful

    More power to decentralised protocols like XMPP where anyone can run a server, even if all internet access is cut off to that particular country

  6. They should grab open sourse software by bogaboga · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I believe these countries have gurus who can grab open source software and end up build a versatile system. Who the hell needs Microsoft?

    It could be Jabber all the way.