In response to outstanding criticism to alleged violations of human rights, three of the biggest internet giants are set to adopt a voluntary code of conduct. Yahoo!, Microsoft and Google are preparing to unify their approach to operation in China where assisting authorities can lead to censorship or protracted imprisonment for Chinese citizens.
The two year effort of technology companies, investment firms and human rights groups outlines many potential human rights issues that internet giants may face in repressive countries. The document is said to detail what a company should do before, during, and after a regime makes a request that could impinge on free speech.
While the code is seen as a step forward in the protection of human rights, it is drawing criticism due to its vague terms. Detractors for the document question how diligent companies will be in using “best efforts” to narrowly comply with governmental requests. Morton Sklar of the World Organization for Human Rights USA said that such passages create a document that proposes “general support for freedom of expression on the Internet, but doesn’t go beyond that to provide the specifics.”
The document and its official list of supporters are expected to be published next week.
Articles RSS