How conservatives can be banned from using Microsoft services

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/legal/codeofconduct.htm ^ | 6-17-14 | daniel1212

[daniel1212]

I gave a cursory read to the Code of Conduct in the updated Microsoft Services Agreement, which, among other things, states under Prohibited Uses states,

You will not upload, post, transmit, transfer, distribute, or facilitate distribution of any content (including text, images, sound, video, data, information, or software) or otherwise use the service in a way that:

...Threatens...defames...degrades, victimizes, or intimidates an individual or group of individuals for any reason, including on the basis of age...sexual orientation, race or religion, or incites or encourages anyone else to do so.

Obviously, this is purposely ambiguous and broad ("for any reason"!), but taken at face value the fact is that warning about the Biblical consequences of the homosexual "life[death]style" would be considered threatening and intimidating, and expressing anything negative today about it and the "orientation itself, or even about any culture, would be considered degrading (reduce in worth).

While the ambiguity here would even disallow saying something negative about Yankee fans (for instance), and we are not at the stage where these restrictions would be used to ban conservative free speech - and we know with the the prevailing double standard it would not be used against liberal expression - and in fact would normally be considered unconstitutional, yet with such absurd recent rulings such as would (if applied consistently) punish a black baker for refusing to make a special cake for a KKK celebration, I do not doubt the day could come in which such services agreement could be used to threaten and intimidate conservative free speech.

Similarly, my Verizon Acceptable Use Policy states in part,

it is a violation of the Agreement and this AUP to:..use the service in any fashion for the transmission or dissemination of images... in a manner that is ..cruel or racist in nature or which espouses, promotes or incites bigotry, hatred or racism.

And once again note that expressing anything negative about the homosexual "lifestyle" is now considered racists, and bigoted, as is criticism of liberal (only) black politicians.

In addition to services as above, individual forum type sites require one to affirm consent to Terms of Services which typically use the same ambiguous and broad language, which can saying anything "hateful,..threatening..or otherwise in violation of ANY law."

Now that's broad.

Not that I do not think providers cannot require assent to certain behavior, as FR does more sensibly on this pro-God site, but the the manner of restrictions often used can easily be used to ban pro-God posters.

These ideological prohibitions are not restricted to Web services, but the EULAs of even some free software include them.

The Linux reader license states in part,

"use, display or distribution of this SOFTWARE together with material that is...promoting hatred, discriminating or displaying prejudice based on religion, ethnic heritage, race sexual orientation...is strictly prohibited.

Thus I cannot use it, as it discriminates against those who see homosexuality as a form of corrupted "coding," "malware" which we seek to save souls from.

Another one, WordWeb dictionary-thesaurus, states,

All users may use WordWeb for 30 days for evaluation purposes. After 30 days it may freely be used only if you personally:

Take at most 4 flights (2 return flights) in any 12 month period AND do not own an SUV (sports utility vehicle).

However, a Christian baker cannot refuse to sanction a homosexual event by refusing to bake a special cake for it, and is ordered him and his entire staff to undergo sensitivity training, and must report on any orders — whether it be a cake or a brownie or cookies — turned away and the reason for doing so.

While I am not really "worried" about this, I thought it is of interest in potential concern.

[daniel1212]

But what if one said, “I cannot help to oppose homosexual relations: I was born again that way!”

[Springfield Reformer]

I use hostek for some web hosting stuff, and they are explicitly Christian. My only contact with MS Services is mainly just as an occasional purchaser of software development products, etc.

[daniel1212]

But then there is the cloning humans section, and its potential:

[TexasRepublic]

Linux bump!