Hightower Lowdown

Nike Inc. makes an offer to all of its customers who buy a pair of its pricey shoes: For a fee, the company will personalize the shoes by stitching any name or phrase you want under the swoosh. It's called the "Nike iD" program, which Nike says is "about freedom to choose and freedom to express who you are."

Jonah Peretti gave it a shot. He sent in his money and the word he wanted—only to get back a form letter stating that his Personal iD was rejected for one or more of the following reasons: (1) it contains someone else's trademark, (2) it contains the name of an athlete whose name is not licensed to Nike, or (3) it contains profanity or inappropriate slang.

Peretti's word was "sweatshop." He politely pointed out that it is not a trademark, an athlete's name, or profanity. But Nike sent another rejection letter, this time asserting that "sweatshop" fell under the heading of inappropriate slang.

Undaunted, Peretti wrote back, noting that "sweatshop" is not slang but standard English and defined by Webster's Dictionary as "a shop or factory in which workers are employed for long hours at low wages and under unhealthy conditions."

Yet again, Nike said no, finally claiming that small print on its website allows it to reject any "material we consider inappropriate or simply do not want to place on our products."

Hmmm. We wonder what other words Nike's not likely to stitch on your shoes. "Democracy"? "Human rights"? "Just boycott it"?