Mitt Romney: It Is Intolerable That Microsoft Censored Images Of Tiananmen Square In America
Mitt Romney: It is intolerable that Microsoft censored images of Tiananmen Square in America
Senator Mitt Romney is seeking an explanation from Microsoft regarding the company's decision to block images and videos of "Tank Man," an unidentified protester who was killed during China's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.
Romney expressed concern about the company's censorship in China spilling over into America in a letter to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella provided exclusively to CNN.
"While the People's Republic of China is well-known for censoring internet search terms relating to the Tiananmen Square Massacre (including "Tank Man"), the prospect of the Chinese Communist Party's censorship being extended to the United States by an American company is intolerable," Romney wrote.
The images were removed from Bing, Microsoft's search engine, globally on Friday, the anniversary of the event. A Microsoft (MSFT) spokesman stated that they were taken offline accidentally, citing "accidental human error." On Saturday, the images resurfaced around the world — outside of China. Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment on Romney's letter Tuesday.
Unlike its major competitors, such as Google (GOOGL), Bing is based in mainland China. This means that Microsoft is required by Chinese law to censor search results for Chinese users — particularly images and information about the Tiananmen Square protests and the subsequent killings. China's internet censorship is typically stepped up in the weeks preceding the anniversary of an event.
Romney pressed Microsoft to explain how its censorship could occur outside of China, most notably in the United States.
"The timing of the missing result — on the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre — raises additional concerns, particularly in light of Microsoft's operations in China," Romney wrote.
In Conclusion
Romney stated that he wanted Microsoft to compile a list of terms that China had requested be censored over the last year, particularly in the run-up to the anniversary of Tiananmen Square. He demanded an explanation from Microsoft regarding whether the censorship was deliberate or accidental, and whether the "human error" occurred within or outside the United States. Romney also wants Microsoft to explain how many people were involved in the error and how the company intends to avoid a repeat.
On June 4, 1989, hundreds of people were killed in Tiananmen Square. The massacre garnered worldwide attention — as did iconic images of "Tank Man" defying troops.
Although China's censorship is typically limited to its borders, Microsoft's global takedown is not the first time a foreign company has blocked access to Tiananmen Square information outside of mainland China.
In December, the FBI charged a former Zoom employee with conspiring to censor meetings on behalf of the Chinese government. Xinjiang "Julien" Jin and co-conspirators allegedly canceled at least four video meetings commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre's 31st anniversary last June. The FBI stated that the majority of the meetings were organized and attended by US citizens, some of whom were dissidents who participated in and survived the 1989 protests.
Tensions between the US and China have risen in recent weeks as a result of China's alleged surveillance of American companies operating within its borders. President Joe Biden last week extended a Trump-era ban on American investment in dozens of Chinese companies believed to be connected to China's military.
Last week, Biden issued an executive order prohibiting Americans from owning or trading securities in 59 companies, citing the threat posed by Chinese surveillance technology. The initial order, signed in November by former President Donald Trump, targeted 31 Chinese companies that the administration claimed "enable the development and modernization" of China's military and "directly threaten" US security. Biden's new executive order takes effect on August 2.
