STOCKHOLM Microsoft has closed a private Swedish porn Web site it hosted after being alerted by police that it contained child pornography. The site was created under Microsofts so-called community service, which allows individuals, families or other groups to set up their own Web sites on MSN servers to share photographs and news with one another.
Its absolutely awful. We have no tolerance for that kind of content, Microsoft MSN Director Lars Backhans told media, adding that Microsoft could not be held responsible for the content of 10,000 community Web pages in Sweden.
Swedish police alerted Microsoft that there was a Web page with child pornography on Dec. 26, but the site was not closed until Friday. Backhans said the delay was caused by procedures to secure the Web sites log files for evidence and because of the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Swedish police criticized what they called Microsofts slowness in resolving the problem. We take this very seriously. Each time someone sees [such] pictures, childrens rights are violated anew. It is wasteful of Microsoft to take such a long time to close the site, Orebro Police Commissioner Tony Moork told the Swedish news agency TT.
Backhans said Microsoft would do everything it could to help police find the Web sites author, who could be tracked down via the phone number used to connect to his or her Internet service provider.
Microsoft spokesman said that all necessary log files detailing visits to the Web page will be hand over to the police once a formal request was made.
