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US Lawmakers to Keep Google Out of China?

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the internet-is-just-one-big-foreign-policy-tool dept.

caese writes "USATODAY is reporting that lawmakers in the US are proposing legislation that would keep Google and others out of China. From the article: 'Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., is drafting a bill that would force Internet companies including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft to keep vital computer servers out of China and other nations the State Department deems repressive to human rights.'"

1 of 491 comments (clear)

  1. FUD and Flamebait? by QuestorTapes · · Score: 5, Informative

    A few observations:

    > USATODAY is reporting that lawmakers in the US are proposing legislation that
    > would keep Google and others out of China.

    Actually, no. First off, the bill hasn't even been drafted yet.

    Secondarily, as I read the article, it wouldn't prevent anyone from doing business in China and other oppressive regimes. It would simply require the "vital computer servers" (currently not defined; remember, it hasn't been -drafted- yet) from being located physically within the opressive regime's geographic control.

    > From the article: 'Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., is drafting a bill that
    > would force Internet companies including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft
    > to keep vital computer servers out of China and other nations the State
    > Department deems repressive to human rights.

    The part that wasn't quoted says: "Moving servers would keep personal data they house from government reach. But that also could weaken the firms' crucial Internet search engines."

    It appears the intent of the bill is to prohibit situations where crucial equipment could be physically compromised by force, although since it hasn't been drafted yet, it could go further, of course.

    I don't know anything about Rep. Smith, but this page:

    http://www.house.gov/chrissmith/laws/laws.htm

    Seems to indicate he has been actively interested in human rights under opressive regimes rather than gestapo internet control laws. Maybe he deserves the benefit of the doubt, at least until after he has finished a first draft we could look at?