After asking Google to censor Microsoft.com, Microsoft has given Google a copyright takedown request for a Microsoft Wikipedia page. Microsoft must want to scrub all mentions of itself on the Internet or something. It’s the only sensible explanation for its vigilance!
Or, I guess, the other reason for vomiting out inane takedown requests like this could be the inability to grasp the concept of copyright (or from a different view point, genuine arm talent at throwing shit on the wall). Whatever it is, it’s getting a bit embarrassing. Takedown requests have little value when companies are unclear what they’re actually taking down.
And like the last episode, it seems as if the takedown request was sent by LeakID on behalf of Microsoft (LeakID is essentially a glorified arm of Microsoft’s censorship machine). Torrent Freak found the inoffensive links that Microsoft somehow found offending:
Yes some are torrents. Some are also weirdly porn? But there are two that are completely innocent. Microsoft Office 2007’s Wikipedia page and a freaking tutorial on Microsoft.com. We’re pretty sure Microsoft doesn’t want to scrub those things off the Internet.
Google, again, did Microsoft a solid by recognising Microsoft’s errors and decided not to vaporize the links from Google searches. When Microsoft last made the mistake of trying to take down itself, a Microsoft spokesperson told us it was a “simple clerical error”. This time, Microsoft decided to cut ties with LeakID. Microsoft told TorrentFreak:
“Microsoft is committed to ensuring that enforcement measures are appropriate and completely accurate. We are investigating the circumstances of this takedown and have instructed the vendor that it is no longer authorised to send notices on our behalf”
So yeah. It’s definitely ridiculous to keep on screwing up takedown requests like this but it’s semi-nice to see Microsoft take its mistakes seriously and sever the arm that is responsible. [Torrent Freak]