Microsoft apologizes for changing race in photo

August 26, 2009

(AP) -- Software giant Microsoft Corp. is apologizing for altering a photo on its Web site to change the race of one of the people shown in the picture.

A photo on the Seattle-based company's U.S. Web site shows two men, one Asian and one black, and a white woman seated at a conference room table. But on the Web site of Microsoft's Polish business unit, the black man's head has been replaced with that of a white man. The color of his hand remains unchanged.

The photo editing sparked criticism online. Some bloggers said Poland's ethnic homogeneity may have played a role in changing the photo.

"We are looking into the details of this situation," Microsoft spokesperson Lou Gellos said in a statement Tuesday. "We apologize and are in the process of pulling down the image."

©2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

• Towchain - Aug 26, 2009
  • Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
  Microsoft shouldn't have to apologize for marketing to Polish demographics.
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