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Microsoft: Nice try, Mac geniuses, but we're filtering your tweets
One of the Twitter feeds on display in the Saks windows, as seen in a Microsoft photo from earlier this week. (Click for close-up.)
There's something suspicious about all these stories about Mac fans "hijacking" the live #holidaywindows Twitter feed that Microsoft is using to display holiday messages at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. Despite the fact that it's in a highly public place, no one seems to have a photo of the mischievous Tweets actually showing up in the window display.
Yes, the raw feed is full of funny and juvenile messages from the Mac faithful, but where is the evidence that the prank is having the desired effect of embarrassing Microsoft on the streets of the Big Apple? In fact, Microsoft says it has been filtering the messages all along.
"The windows are the private property of Saks Fifth Avenue," a company representative said in response to our inquiry. "As such, there are filters in place to make sure that in opening them up to Twitter feeds we had content that was appropriate for the general public to view and was within the holiday theme. This filter includes any attempt to spam the windows with negative commentary that is not in the spirit of the holidays. The windows have not been hijacked."
Microsoft says there's an automatic filter, and also human backup.
Of course, it's always possible that some have slipped through and shown up, despite Microsoft's efforts. If you have pictures, please send them to toddbishop@bizjournals.com, and we'll update this post.
About Todd Bishop
Todd Bishop is co-founder and managing editor of TechFlash. He has covered Microsoft and the technology industry for more than five years, most recently as a daily newspaper reporter and blogger based in Seattle.
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