Microsoft Poland Photoshops Black Guy To White One

wanted writes "If you look at Microsoft's Poland business solutions Web site, you will probably not notice anything odd about the main picture. However, when you compare it with the original English version, you can see that someone decided that showing black people in Poland is probably not going to be convincing to business. They just Photoshopped the head of a white guy in for the black one, in an amateurish way, leaving his hand unchanged. (Here's a mirror in case something should happen to the original.)" We noted a few months back that the city of Toronto had done something similar.

Comments

Well, it IS the evil empire and all.

[hitmanWilly1337]

Ok, honestly, is anyone actually surprised by anything these guys do anymore? I mean, c'mon, if it makes them a buck they'll do it. Be it trying to drive competition out of business, stealing good ideas from smaller companies and screwing them up, etc. Seriously, it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to patent the use of a mouse if they could. I mean, MS didn't get the name "evil empire" by being ethical.

Re:Know your market.

[Cadallin]

At the very least, this sort of thing is in remarkably poor taste. Its done in a very unprofessional way, which IMO sends the wrong signals and reinforces a perception of racism. Had they actually substituted in a real picture which had only whites, instead of just "hiding the Black Guy" it would be far less obvious that was the intent. Instead they've crudely modified a picture in such a way that its clear their intention WAS to "hide the black guy."

It definitely reveals racism somewhere, and Microsoft's (Poland Office?) concern about appeasing it, if not acting on internal racism.

Seriously. Its a professionally dressed dark skinned man. Is that so offensive to delicate Polish sensibilities? Why? Even if there's not a single dark skinned man in all of Poland, why should it be a problem?

If you'd care to offer one, I'd like to hear your explanation for modifying a picture to remove a depiction of a person of a specific ethnicity that doesn't fundamentally boil down to racism.

Re:Know your market.

[shutdown -p now]

Did you miss the "I'm not racist because it's not a race" part of it?

Or are you one of those people who jumps at every opportunity to call everyone racist because you're so insecure about yourself? "white guilt", perhaps?

Afirmative action is not racist.

[jotaeleemeese]

Only somebody that hasn't opened an history book could utter such stupidity with a serious face.