Microsoft shuts down Web site with pornographic pictures of children

<br>STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) _ Microsoft's Internet service provider shut down a Swedish-language Web site with hundreds of pornographic pictures of children, police said Saturday. <br><br>The site _

Saturday, January 6th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) _ Microsoft's Internet service provider shut down a Swedish-language Web site with hundreds of pornographic pictures of children, police said Saturday.

The site _ one of thousands created by Microsoft Network users _ was shut down Friday after police alerted the company in Sweden. Investigators and MSN officials were working to track down the creator of the site, believed to be in Sweden.

``We have zero tolerance for this. Personally, I find it downright disgusting,'' said Lars Backhans, Nordic director for MSN. ``We are doing all we can to assist the police in their investigation.''

The Web site was offered on one of Microsoft's Web Communities, which the company describes as ``free websites that are created and maintained by other users.''

Backhans said there are 12,000 to 13,000 such Web sites in Sweden, making it virtually impossible for Microsoft to monitor their content. However, each subscriber must agree to contract terms that ban illegal material such as child pornography, he said.

Superintendent Tommy Moork of the Oerebro police, about 85 miles west of Stockholm, said: ``Each time these pictures are shown on the Internet, it's as if the victims are abused again.''

Tipped off to the Web site, Moork said he sent e-mail to Microsoft on Dec. 26, but it took a week before the site was shut down.

``They came in during the holidays and there was therefore some delay before the complaint reached the right person,'' Backhans said. ``We are going to review our routines and staffing during major holidays, too.''