Microsoft Wields Copyright Law to Smother Windows 8 Chatter

DMCA is a blunt instrument for bludgeoning critics

Out of the blue, a number of reputable online publications, including BetaNews, Hardware Canucks, PowerArchiver, NGOHQ, and Technize (among many others), received DMCA takedown orders from Google that claim on Microsoft's behalf that the sites were infringing on various Microsoft copyrights.

The notices began with, "Google has been notified, according to the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), that some of your materials allegedly infringe upon the copyrights of others." The notices go on to say that because of the alleged violations, Google has no choice but to remove the URLs in question from Google's search results.