Hello! I have some more questions:
- Do you notify the users of the fact that their chats will be filtered? Or that they have been filtered and why?
- Can you or will you publicize the list of filtered words?
- Can you please specify the exact laws and regulations which are being followed in regard to each word or phrase? In other words in each case what Chinese law or regulation is being broken by each word's use?
- Is there an appeals process for users to challenge the legal necessity of filtering certain words that they feel should not be filtered?

I believe that multinational internet communications businesses are not being transparent or honest enough with Chinese users. This is not just about freedom of speech and human rights, it's about the way you treat your user and whether you are squandering your user trust in China. User trust is ultimately your greatest competitive advantage in China; any technical competitive edge will not be maintainable over the long run against your Chinese competitors. Filtering in a non-transparent, unaccountable manner squanders your user trust. I believe it is possible to engage and do business in the Chinese market without lying to your users or treating them like children. It will take some effort and spine to do the right thing but your users will appreciate it and reward you with trust and loyalty. It is not just morally the right thing to do, it's the right thing to do for your business.

Rebecca already asked about it, and I would like to see the list of banned words, too. Or at least some examples about which kind of content we're talking here.

>In every country we operate in, we always work with local authorities to follow local laws and best practice.

That could be interesting, I'd really like to know more about 'best practice' in Iran, North Korea, Palestine Region, and some others. Could you provide some more information here?
TIA & greets from Germany!

I would also like to ask for the censored words to be published. Failure to do so could lead to many, including ourselves looking elsewhere for voip/messaging solutions with our partners in china

according to this explanation, the text filter is built into the TOM-Skype client, which resides on the user's machine. this means it should be discoverable and circumventable. which is beside the point of course, but of possible technical interest.

Anybody up for some TOM-Skype client hacking to extract the list?

As the long term skype user， maybe one of the ealiest users(or ever fans) in China. I don't think the excuse from skype the company can stand.

First of all, I don't understand why Skype selected Tom as local partner. It's neither the best portal site nor even have fairly good tracking record to serve local internet users. From business view, I don't think Tom played good job to promote skype in China. Instead, blogosphere and prominent users played the role. They should be rewarded, not TOM.

Sencondly, Skype don't need neccessarily need Tom to operate business in China. Skype itself can do the job well since user s help skype spreading anywhere. I don't know or even can't image any government enforces a software to do text filtering unless they do self-policing first. Skype is misled by Tom, the useless partner. Basically Skype is different from Google or Yahoo online service, it's standalone software.

Geeks in China ever regard Skype as the hero to play important role to conduct secure communication. They are very disappointed now to see Skype join the evil business list. Sigh!

The cooperation is definitely reducing the reputation of Skype in this country. It will also pushing users away. Please re-consider the decision(cooperating with ToM and anti-freedom). I suppose Skype the company is becoming a responsible business, why not rethink it?

I echo Rebecca's comments and questions. I'm disappointed that Skype has chosen to be party to such blatant censorship. Surely, given your history and reputation as a bit of rebel, you could have chosen a different path. Isn't it time someone stood up to the forces standing in the way of free human expression?

Hi,
I too would like to know the answers to the questions posed by Ms MacKinnon.
I would think that a company that bases itself in Estonia could summon up the courage to remember that a few years ago, the same kind of rules were applied there by the USSR. You want to bring the same calamity upon the Chinese people do you?

I understand the need to operate globally, and the delicate situation in dealing in a nuanced manner with an oppressive regime. And you are a business, not a political party.
You should still serve your customers to the best of your ability, I believe. At the very least, you should also have a censored notation (literally, a red flag) upon typing banned words, and note the law that the user attempted to break. That's just being socially conscious.
Will you allow downloads of the censored program for non Chinese users? It would be informative (doubly socially conscious) to see how my normal friendly typing gets nailed by the program.

Money above conscience heh?

Would the list of banned words include "freedom" and "democracy"? I doubt it will filter a**-licking though.

I have my guts full of companies appeasing to the commies. Where is the one man with courage?

I know that the American congress will pass a new law making illegal for American Companies to participate with other foreign companies in activities which would violate the consistution of the US or the human rights.

I think that the new parent company of Skype (ebay which is americain) could be in the front line with this participation in censurship. And I think that it may be time also the European Union to implement a such regulation.

Phil Wolff, contacted me, asking if my thoughts had changed since this story was originally published. Perhaps these comments are a perfect place to respond.

The decisions have only one justification, and that is purely economic. Unfortunately it is too often he case that corporate economic reasoning is at odds with the moral stance of customers and employees alike.

Is it Google or Skypes job to challenge the position of the Chinese government on matters like this. Of course not, it is there job to provide the services which they do. However it *is* the job of every single individual, whether an employee or customer or neither of these companies to decide if the moral question is powerful enough in this case to warrant a boycott of services or a withdrawal of labour.

It is my firm believe that too often a corporation becomes a shield to hide behind formed of collective denial and abdication of personal responsibility. However all acts perpetrated in this world are formed not just by those who actively imitate them, but also those who fail to respond out of either fear or apathy.

Please publish the list of blocked words. And take steps to implement a client which will inform a user there conversation is being censored.

I have been using Skype for a couple of years and I am really saddened about this development. I thought that Skype would be different from the other greedy big corporations and not toe the Chinese Communist Party line and abuse peoples basic human rights. I guess it might have somehting to do with it being owned by Ebay now.
I think Skype should make public the list of words that are 'filtered'.
I also want to see what Chinese laws it abiding to and what they mean. I know for sure that two phrases would be 'Falun Gong' and 'Democracy'.
Surely supporting the CCP's censorship is completely hypocritical. Skype was created and developed in a democratic country. Doesn't supporting a suppressive regime that limits the freedoms of human rights make a mockery of the society that we live in?
Wasn't World War II all about fighting for these freedoms? Does the West now think its OK to support the human rights attrocities that are happening in China, such as human organ harvesting just for economic gain?
Skype, tell me it isn't so! I will have to stop using your service if this is the case