Microsoft disables linking The Pirate Bay through Windows Live Messenger and third-party applications using the protocol. 

A few years ago, one common attack vector for malware was to hijack messenger clients and send malware links to users on your friends list. Later malware was programmed aggressively enough to hold simple conversation as they attempted to gain the user’s trust.

At some point, Microsoft decided to block links to known attack sites in an attempt to prevent users from lemming their computer.

You’re dead linked to me…

Recently Microsoft has decided to add the current URL of The Pirate Bay to their block list. Microsoft has not made an announcement whether their employee, a third party company, or a computer algorithm censored The Pirate Bay. Microsoft has accidentally blocked links to Youtube in 2008 due to a mistake caused by one of their third party partners.

Since The Pirate Bay was the only torrent tracker to be blocked by MSN, it is entirely possible that an infected ad link could have automatically added the site to the block list. Google maintains a similar blacklist to be used in their Chrome browser and their search page.

So what do you guys think? Accidental or deliberate? Internal, External, or Automatic?