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American Companies Help China Censor the Net
KyleNicholson writes "It makes you wonder what is really being taught in Business Ethics classes today. American companies such as Sun, Microsoft, Nortel are helping to limit the
freedoms of people around the world, even leading to executions. Here is a report by Amnesty
International."
Did you know that the best Chinese food is actually American?
No, really!
...if I recall correctly, IBM is an American company. Although I haven't read it (it's on the list of books I have to read) this book deals with the assistance that the 3rd Reich got from IBM.
So with the help of Microsoft, Chinese guys won't see "big tits".
Of course, this is not the main problem. Freedom of speech is a major concern, and I wonder how much money will go to Microsoft (and others) from Chinese taxpayers.
Nortel is Canadian!
"It makes you wonder what is really being taught in Business Ethics classes today. American companies such as Sun, Microsoft, Nortel are helping to limit the freedoms of people around the world, even leading to executions."
I really don't like this comment. These companies have nothing to do with China's policies, they are merely selling them a means to enforce those policies.
These companies are conforming to a Capitolist society (ours) which dictates that if they don't help China, their competitors will profit instead. How about blaming Capitolist ideals for this? It holds more water than your ethics reasoning.
----- rL
C'mon, this is not news anymore. This topic has already been addressed here on slashdot numerous times in the past. The fact that Amnesty International has a new report on the subject doesn't make it worth repeating. They're going to need to create a China icon pretty soon if they keep reposting this same old tired story.
A lot of people will think I'm being insensitive by yawning at this serious problem. I dunno, maybe you're right. But just reposting this topic over and over doesn't really strike me as serving any important purpose. It's not informing us of something we don't already know and, since most of us aren't in positions of power, it won't result in any policy change at high-tech companies.
GMD
watch this
Corporations exist to make money, so this is not surprising. We seem to assume that capitalism automatically implies human rights, but this is not the case. The two are quite separate beasts.
American companies such as Sun, Microsoft, Nortel are helping to limit the freedoms of people around the world, even leading to executions.
I am horrified by the tales of China's brutal use of capital punishment on crimes as nonviolent tax evasion, their well-documented corruption, and the brutal infliction of the penalty itself. A nice final touch is that the family is billed for the price of the bullet, the thought being they share culpability (and may well suffer repercussions regardless).
I'm also a patriot. And in the spirit of impartiality, remember that Amnesty International -- and the European Union -- condemns us, also, as one of the countrie practicing capital punishment, particularly on juveniles. I'm sure all these companies play a hand in that somehow.
Those are the legal aspects of our system; the practical ones include a disturbingly high error rate despite the greater integrity and defendant rights in our system. For example, after a dozen exonerations of death row inmates on the basis of innocence and not legalisms -- for reasons such as witnesses recanting, other persons confessing, and DNA evidence proving impossibility -- the state of Illinois placed a moritorium on executions until they could figure out what was going on. There are numerous examples.
The point of all this? Well, if we take issue with certain foreign practices, we may well be right to do so. But that same indignation should perhaps we applied at home. I offer no conclusions about capital punishment, but many questions.
Disclosure and digression -- I clerked for a Chicago federal appeals court for two years, and although I never worked directly on a capital case I saw the sorts of defects that occur in trial of "mere murderers" (I wrote up a judicial bribery case concerning a murder-for-hire). I also witnesses the unfolding of the incredible case of Rolondo Cruz, who went through three trials before several investigators and prosecutors were indicted for manufacturing evidence and other abuses(!). BTW, Scott Turow was one of the local attorneys who took up this particular cause, all the way to the Supreme Court as they say; he came and spoke about it and other corruption cases (he's a good attorney as well as writer).
But I digress. How about this truism: Technology like business is a double-edged sword, with no inherent moral authority.
How is the technology used in this context different from the technology used by corporations to ensure the "appropriate use" or thier networks?
In response to stories on those types of subjects, people always say, "It's the company's network, they can do what ever they want with it. They own the bits...," etc.
Interesting parallels to be drawn there, eh?
Software Wars
Highlight the top paragraph and mail it to your representative and Senators. Attach a note or something saying that you find this behavior disturbing and think that Congress needs to take swift and decisive action to stop it.
..don't worry, the same action is coming soon to a country near you. The US and europe will be doing similar in the not too distant future. "Hate crimes", bogus "you are a terrorist because we say so", guilty until you have no chance to prove your innocence in front of a military junta tribunal, etc, etc. It's all "on track". Red China is the globalist wet dream poster child nation socio/economic ideal. I call it technofuedalism. And like all other tyrannical regimes in the past, most will go along with it, claiming "they didn't know", or "money has no conscious" or the famous "just following orders/doing my job".
Humans don't change, they use every bit (and byte) of available technology to oppress people, to be predators, this is the nature of governments made up of at the top clinically insane megalomaniacs, similar to the international profits at any cost konzern heads. No matter how much these governments and the corporate cartel sponsors start out as a "deal" for the people, they always de-evolve into heinous dictatorships. The time line is the only variable, but the outcome never varies, that be carveth in stone. Whether the slogan is "hail caesar!" or "sieg heil!" or "let's roll!" or "power to the people!", or "allah akubar!" or "viva la revolucion!" or whatever, it always turns into a dictatorship.
One of the first clues is government controlling the media and your access to it, and pushing their propoganda media efforts at you. This is called the "big lie", just keep saying it over and over again, eventually the bulk of the people believe it, because it's easier than finding out what's really going on. The second clue is not allowing citizens to be adequately armed. The third clue is massive government sponsored demonization of citizens outside their nation and inside, a de-humanizing effort to reduce some humans to less than human status. Currently in china you might belong to the "evil cult", in the US you might be called a "racist" for wanting the borders controlled, in europe you might be called a"nazi" if you really don't approve of massive socialistic command and control efforts, on and on. It never changes. In the past it was "he's a dirty injun" or "she's a filthy jew" or "they are just ragheads" or "they are guilty of crimes against the state", the all encompassing "terrorist" label that fits most situations.
When governments go down that path, expect the "disappeareds", executions, torture, kangaroo courts, death camps eventually, it just happens, some nations at different times than others but it always happens.
They're the ones who would sue for the companies' failure to uphold their interests.
They're the ones who would cause the stock to fall when a competitor entered the market instead. And it's a BIG market.
There is no mystery about what is being taught in business ethics classes. Business ethics is first about due diligence and accountability to shareholders.
Every system, including capitalism, has shortcomings. Of course there is a much better system, but I don't think it's been invented yet.
Operator, give me the number for 911!
A headline which reflected the most pertinent facts
of the matter would read something like
"Sun and Microsoft aid the CCP to kill whistleblowers".
-I like my women like I like my tea: green-
Sadly what he says is extremely true. In 50-100 years I expect the good old land of the free (USA) to be just as bad as china, if not worse. It's human nature to want to dominate, nothing can change that. Humans always want more power, and when they have it, they want to take steps to keep others distanced below them.
American companies such as Sun, Microsoft, Nortel are helping to limit the freedoms of people around the world, even leading to executions.
What is this, hyporcrite day? The fact is that the Chinese government is supported by every government and citizen that engages in any sort of trade or commerce with it.
Sure, these companies are doing business with China. SO IS ALMOST EVERY LARGE COMPANY AND NATION ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
China is the economic target of every western company and nation looking to expand it's international trade. Investments by foriegn companies into China are rampant. China was just admitted into the WTO.
The fact is that if you are going to bring up the issue of business ethics and dealings with China, the fact is that every western government, large company and most individual consumers have been supporting Chinaand is equally guilty of doing business with a regime that does not respect basic human rights.
What is being taught in business ethics? Ivory tower crap like that goes out the window once students leave school and enter the corporate arena. If business ethics101 taught reality, they would teach greed is good, the almighty dollar is god. Why wouldn't American companies sell China censorware? Profit is profit. Democracy and capitalism are not synonyms.
How ya like dat?
You will need...
Mix oil/water 50:50 in the jar, and seal.
Usage: None.
Ali
Ph33r m3!!!
Thank God, Microsoft is selling China the means to censorship. This means that once the products fail, free speech shall rein in China!!
Democracy Now! - your daily, uncensored, corporate-free
What about Poindexter's TIA project? I've heard that Microsoft has been looking for opportunities to assist as much as possible with Homeland Security and other related projects, so, it just seems par for the course.
IBM also assisted the Third Reich, by providing data processing equipment.