A Red Rushmore?

Microsoft Corp. has shut down the internet journal of a Chinese blogger who discussed politically sensitive issues including a recent strike at a Beijing newspaper. The blog, written under the pen name An Ti by Zhao Jing, who works for the Beijing bureau of The New York Times as a research assistant, touched on sensitive topics such as China's relations with Taiwan. Last week, he used the blog to crusade on behalf of a Beijing newspaper.

The action by Microsoft came amid criticism by free-speech activists of foreign technology companies that help the communist government enforce censorship or silence dissent in order to be allowed into China's market. Microsoft's China-based Web log-hosting service shut down the blog at the Chinese government's request, said Brooke Richardson, group product manager with Microsoft's MSN online division at the company headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

"When we operate in markets around the world we have to ensure that our service complies with global laws as well as local laws and norms," Richardson said. Richardson said the blog was shut down on Dec. 30 or 31 but wouldn't give any other details about the reason.

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