Microsoft cuts Windows Live Messenger access for users in five countries
Summary: Microsoft is confirming that it is cutting off Windows Live Messenger service for users in five countries that are "subject to United States sanctions."
Microsoft is confirming that it is cutting off Windows Live Messenger service for users in five countries that are "subject to United States sanctions."
As reported first by LiveSide.net earlier this week, "users in Cuba, Syria, Iran, Sudan and North Korea can no longer IM with Windows Live Messenger."
A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the move on May 21:
"I can confirm the report on LiveSide is correct. Microsoft has discontinued providing Instant Messenger services in certain countries subject to United States sanctions. Details of these sanctions are available from the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control."
Microsoft isn't providing additional information beyond that statement. According to the Treasury Web site, the reasons for the political sanctions vary from country to country, and encompass everything from not "trading with the enemy" to trying to discourage terrorists and human-rights violators. Many of these sanctions date back eight years. So it's unclear why Microsoft just this week removed the access of users in these countries....
On a separate -- and much less dire note -- I've been getting intermittent rogue error messages when attempting to sign into Windows Live Messenger for the past couple of weeks. Sometimes I've gotten a message saying my password and ID are incorrect; other times, that I'm not connected to the Internet. When I've used Meebo to circumvent the Microsoft sign-in process, I've been able to use Windows Live Messenger just fine.
I've heard from a few other users who've been having Windows Live Messenger problems, too. Anyone have theories/knowledge as to what might be happening on the Live Messenger back-end? (Microsoft officials, when I asked, said they believe it's a problem on my end. But based on what I'm hearing from others, I think there's more to it than that.)
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Talkback
Way to go Microsoft!!!
Now Microsoft is joining the embargo!
Liveside was quoting Messenger Support blog and now that Microsoft posting has been removed/edited.
Check Liveside again for an update
Knowlege as to what is happening?
have had several issues with live services lately, on
multiple computers, including use of the IE. Constantly I
have been getting "Diagnose Connection" buttons, click
them comes back with no problems found, refreshes then
works. Fire off IE and FF at the same time, FF gets to
the page, IE gets the diagnose button.. if that just
isn't screwy.
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
;)
Because we all know that state secrets are
This is simply stupid. It does nothing but bring more enmity, and disengers a company who really doesn't need anymore bad will toward it.
Wow
I kind of love what Microsoft does with .Net and I even like Vista OS (over XP, Linux Ubuntu, or OS X). Intel, AMD, Microsoft have become companies that are very important for the world?s future but, as we could just see, these companies are controlled by US government.
And now we have Microsoft that is also participating in the future war against Iran.
Today, when Europe can consume Iranian oil without US permission, European courts can do different things like asking another American company - Intel to pay $1B in fines! Iranian oil is the only source of European energy supplies that is left uncontrolled by US. If the war in Iran begins, I think, there will be no more objections against using Microsoft documentation formats by European governments let alone paying $300M in fines for Media Player in Windows.
Sorry not quite right
sorry but what about that huge gas pipeline coming down from Russia ?
You know the one they turned off recently, the russians turned it off, not the US.
Why should the EU need to get permission from the US to do anything ??
North korea needs to be cut off in total from the internet, no so sure about Cuba though. Im sure there are alot of xpats from Cuba that would like to communicate with the US, but there are a couple of million different ways they can do that.
Look up the country that ICQ comes from !!! :)
To whose benefit?
pushes the people into the arms of the very dictatorships that you're
trying to kick out of power. Forcing these countries to open up is what
will under mine the power structure - not isolation.
ICQ or Jabber
Jabber-based IM has just got more points.
Russian gas is a small part of European energy supplies, but Iranian oil is really the major part of European energy safety so placing it under US control would put US in position to ask anything from Europe.
By the way, I'm from Russia and you know what - all those gas pipelines, you are talking about, are controlled by US via Ukrainian and Polish governments. Moreover, any attempts by Russia, Germany, and France to build 2 alternative pipelines are prevented by US allies in Europe. Even participation in reconstruction of Ukrainian gas pipelines is not allowed to Russia. This year US ally ? Ukraine requested gas literally for free from Russia. There is a confirmed (by international auditors) fact that US ally - Ukraine shut down gas transit into Europe BEFORE Russia shut down gas intended for Europe. There was not a word of that in WSJ or CNN. It all has so changed since 20 years ago, when soviet media were telling lies and there was no Internet to find out the truth, and today when WSJ and CNN tell lies but nobody cares.
I've been having issues too
On the matter at hand, I find it unbelievable that a service provider give access or not to some couttry. Sites like hulu are doing it too and it's really against the Internet philosophy ... shame on microsoft.
Thanks for keeping us inform on the sitaution.
They might as well cut it off here too....
RE: Microsoft cuts Windows Live Messenger access for users in five countries
I don't know what people at Microsoft think!
but I'm sure this work can make more hate between us and it's apparently against the way Bill Gates thinks!
Obviously
Re:Obviously
We have many problems so we don't want add another!(such as hating the others!).but be sure your government isn't honest.
I agree
democratic systems and yet are happy to lecture Iran on the virtues of
democracy. Maybe the US should get their priorities right before
lecturing the world on the virtues of democracy.
well...
Unless the US can get something from the country they are not interested. I mean. Look a Zimbabwe for example. On one gives a hoot baout the troubles they've had because there's nothing to be gained from sorting that country out.
At least in Iraq they found WMDs though...
...oh....
RE: Microsoft cuts Windows Live Messenger access for users in five countries
RE: Microsoft cuts Windows Live Messenger access for users in five countries
Worst thing to do! Wrong way! Will get exactly the opposite!
If Microsoft wants to help terrorists, that't the way to go! I cannot understand some people posts here!
And on those countries like Cuba, where people who had Messenger had a way to tell others what was going on, please, their little free expression channel is over!
I don't understand the logic behind it!
Wrong way!
RE: Microsoft cuts Windows Live Messenger access for users in five countries
RE: Microsoft cuts Windows Live Messenger access for users in five countries