Microsoft has come up with a clarified policy regarding online censorship. The company says its online services, like the free blogging platform MSN Spaces, will still censor at the behest of the government, but only upon receiving "a legally binding notice from the government indicating that the material violates local laws."
That's much better than what MSN Spaces in China did last month, deleting an entire blog that was written by a New York Times research assistant, apparently after being leaned on very gently by government officials. (Chinese nationals who do work for the New York Times and other newspapers in China are often "research assistants" and don't get bylines.) At least this new policy will bring the legality of the request into play, which I believe is a key point. Make the Chinese government explain to their own people, and to the world, why they restrict citizens' right to free speech.
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