p2pnet - rss feed: Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, code of conduct
p2pnet news view Politics | Freedom:- This should be interesting.
With only days to go before the official start of the Beijing Olympics, US senator Dick Durbin says a “number” of the largest American Net companies, human rights organizations and “other stakeholders” have, “reached agreement on a voluntary code of conduct that would govern internet companies operating in countries where internet freedom is restricted”.
Like where?
Like China.
And like who?
Google, Yahoo, Microsoft.
“The participants are now reviewing the agreement for final approval,” says Durbin.
“This code of conduct would be one important step toward our shared goals of promoting freedom of expression and protecting the privacy of internet users around the world,” he says, going on:
“I look forward to learning more about the details this agreement and whether it will adequately regulate American companies operating in internet-restricting countries.”
Don’t we all.
Meanwhile, “While the code of conduct is being finalized, I urge American internet companies operating in repressive countries to do everything possible to resist censorship and protect user privacy and freedom of expression, especially with the Olympics beginning in China later this week,” states Durbin.
“We must ensure that American companies operating in repressive regimes protect fundamental human rights.”
The Xinhua pic on the right shows the Beijing Olympics main press centre.
Is it about to become a bastion of free speech, do you think?
And how can someone (or something) be a “stakeholder” in “internet freedom”?
Just asking 
Ironically, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft are among companies who’ve been accused of trifling with the privacy of their users.
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.Stumble It!
Dick Durbin - Durbin Says Internet Giants Close to Agreement on Code of Conduct, August 4, 2008
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August 5th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Here’s a thought, don’t do *IN* those countries. Do it from the US, where only US laws govern what you do. The internet is a GLOBAL network, which means that there’s no reason they can’t set up a Chinese language web site on a server running in the US. Yes, it may get censored by the Chinese government, but if every non-Chinese company did that, China would be left with the choice of allowing mostly unfettered internet access, or having an internet that was so crippled that it would be worthless.
August 6th, 2008 at 8:19 am
The web should be a bastion of freedom for everyone. China should not fear
information the United States should not fear information. Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, these
companies are at the front lines of internet freedom and they have the means to fight.
They should be reminded of their duty to us all. We created them through our patrionage
they should fight for us.Anyway I am looking for informed internet users to take a look
at my site and tell me what they think. Its SunflowerPipes.Com. We have water pipes,
rolling papers, shirlocks, bubblers, bats, grinders, dugouts, fifkas, and scales plus
much more!