Microsoft apologizes for changing race in photo

Summary

A photo on the company's U.S. Web site shows two men, one Asian and one black, and a white woman seated at a 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. His hand remains unchanged.

Story Published: Aug 25, 2009 at 7:28 PM PST

Story Updated: Aug 26, 2009 at 5:59 PM PST

Microsoft apologizes for changing race in photo
LOS ANGELES (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."