Governments who attempt to censor special interest and dissident groups by claiming they are using illegal Microsoft software have been dealt a blow, with Microsoft giving away 500,000 software licenses to advocacy groups, independent media outlets and other not-for-profit organisations in 12 countries with governments that limit freedom of speech.
The groups are in countries including Russia, China, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, Malaysia and Vietnam.
The move is in response to suggestions that lawyers retained by the company had supported officials in Russia in crackdowns on outspoken groups.
“We clearly have a very strong interest in ensuring that any anti-piracy activities are being done for the purpose of reducing illegal piracy, and not for other purposes,” a spokeswoman for Microsoft said.
“Under the terms of our new nongovernmental organisation software licence, we will definitely not have any claims and not pursue any claims against nongovernmental organisations.”
James was the editor and publisher of SmartCompany and LeadingCompany for five years. He is now the Australian Financial Review‘s companies & markets editor, and a former BRW editor.
