21 March 2024 – Microsoft Corp, is under fire for its role in censoring its Bing search engine in China, with a US Senator and human rights groups condemning its compliance with Beijing’s demands. The criticism comes after a Bloomberg Businessweek investigation revealed the extent to which Bing filters out information on sensitive topics to satisfy Chinese authorities.
Senator Marco Rubio has joined the chorus of voices denouncing Microsoft’s operations in China, asserting that no US company should support censorship on behalf of an authoritarian regime. Bloomberg’s findings indicate that Bing has been increasingly removing content related to human rights, democracy, and climate change, raising concerns about freedom of expression.
While Microsoft defends its position, claiming Bing in China is the least censored search engine and provides access to information, critics argue that its actions enable Chinese government censorship. Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and the Uyghur Human Rights Project, are calling on Microsoft to be transparent about its content removal policies and consider withdrawing from China if it cannot avoid being complicit in human rights abuses.
Despite the backlash, Microsoft maintains that it only complies with legal orders and pushes back when necessary. However, the company’s involvement in censoring information about alleged atrocities against the Uyghur population has sparked outrage among activists, who demand accountability and an end to censorship practices.