Web site shut down at MIT

MIT temporarily shut down a web site which contained images of Japanese atrocities against Chinese. Curiously, it was Chinese students who protested. A letter from the MIT Chinese Student and Scholar Association complained:

We do understand the historical significance of these woodprints and respect the authors' academic freedom to pursue this study. However, we are appalled at the lack of accessible explanations and the proper historical context that ought to accompany these images.

In some ways, the Chinese students' reaction is understandable, if not justified. There has been a long and bloody history of conflict between China and Japan. One of the instructors behind the course was born in Japan. Many web sites are badly designed, so the students may have been right that the explanation was poorly placed. But given the facts as presented, MIT's response looks like a massive over-reaction. Assuming people might come to the site and see the image without any idea why it's there, why not just add a caption to the image saying: "This is presented as an example of historical anti-Chinese propaganda in 19th century Japan"? That would take less time than discussing it.

The article doesn't make it clear whether the people in charge of the course agreed the site was badly designed and decided to take it down till they could fix it, or whether the president's office came down heavily on them. If it's the latter, it looks like a massive case of micromanagement.

MIT has issued a statement on the matter, and FIRE has commented on it. Like FIRE, I find it bizarre that MIT would need to say that "the use of these historical images is not an endorsement of the events depicted." Perhaps the real explanation is a couple of paragraphs later:

The response from some outside the community, on the other hand, has been inappropriate and antithetical to the mission and spirit of MIT and of any university. This is not only unfair to our colleagues, but contrary to the very essence of the university as a place for the free exploration of ideas and the embrace of intellectual and cultural diversity.

This makes it sound as if the real reason for taking down the site wasn't the objections of the students or the bad design of the site, but some act of intimidation from outside. If so, MIT's response amounts to saying, "OK, you bullies, we'll do as you say. But we'll tell your mommy!"

Full disclosure: I work on software, often involving web sites and images, for that school up the river from MIT.