Amnesty International Report on Internet Firms and Censorship in China

Last week, the human rights group Amnesty International released a new report documenting how Yahoo!, Microsoft and Google help the Chinese government suppress dissent as they seek market share in the lucrative Chinese market.

"This briefing provides an overview of the use of the Internet as a tool to deny freedom of expression in China, focusing on both the Chinese government’s suppression of dissent and on the role of Yahoo!, Microsoft and Google in collaborating with the authorities. The actions of these Internet companies are contrasted with their proclaimed values. The conclusion drawn is that they have, through their actions, directly and admittedly contradicted their values and stated policies. Amnesty International questions the principles that guide their decisions, and challenges the defences they use to justify their behaviour. In our view, these do not stand up to scrutiny. A series of recommendations are proposed to enable them to act in accordance with international human rights norms."

The May 29, 2006 post Amnesty International Launches Campaign Against Internet Censorship includes references to earlier posts on Internet censorship.