Cuban authorities on Friday accused Microsoft Corp. for the “bias” blocking of Windows messenger instant messaging service in the country and other nations sanctioned by the United States, stressing that it is yet another “harassment” from Washington.
In a recent report, Microsoft announced the removal of the service to countries like Cuba, North Korean, Sudan, Iran, and Syrian in “compliance” with the United State’s ban on embargoed countries for the acquisition of licensed software being distributed by the computer giant.
In a published report in a Cuban newspaper Juventud Rebelde said that the recent move by the computer giant is “another turn of the screw” designed to harass the island by imposing a stiffer technological blockade.
A certain technology writer in Cuba even called the action by Microsoft as “harsh violation” of the rights of the people in the sanctioned Island.
It will be recalled that the island has been using the instant messaging service without previous interruption from Microsoft.
Meanwhile, Windows Live Product Management Director Dharmesh Mehta came to Microsoft’s defense, saying that “there is nothing new with the blockade” as the company has made several adjustments and changes since 2008 in connection with the release of the latest Window Live Messenger.
He added that it is only now that the move received attention, adding that it is not only Microsoft who imposed product ban in the countries. He said the several other major companies operating in the Internet imposed their “obligation” not to do business in countries listed on the US sanction.
Mehta also stressed that the government has the right to exercise its right to regulate and restraint the use of different programs in the Internet that would most likely impede and affect the diverse commerce with the use of such platforms.
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Why are they doing that just now? I hope the people from those countries know how to bypass the block.