Photoshop Magic Erases Black Man in Microsoft Ad
By LORI PREUITT
Updated 2:52 PM PST, Wed, Aug 26, 2009
Microsoft is fessing up and apologizing for altering a Web site photo to change a person's race.
A photo on the Seattle-based company's U.S. Web site shows two men and a woman sitting around a conference table. The ad reads, "Empower your people with the IT tools you need."
For the U.S. audience the men are Asian and African American. But on the Web site of Microsoft's Polish business unit, the black man's head has been replaced with a white face.
When you look real hard, its clear there is something off about the white man sitting in the middle on the Polish site. His head is off and his hand is a little more tan than it should be.
Whoever did the photoshop didn't bother to change the color of the subject's hand.
The photo editing has sparked criticism of course. Some bloggers summize Poland's ethnic homogeneity may have played a role in changing the photo.
Microsoft spokesperson Lou Gellos said the company is looking into the situation. "We apologize and are in the process of pulling down the image," Gellos said.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Bay Area
First Published: Aug 26, 2009 12:00 PM PST
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