Microsoft, Google Agree to NGO Code of Conduct

Aditi.Tuteja writes "Technology companies have come under fire for providing equipment or software that permits governments to censor information or monitor the online or offline activities of their citizens. For example, last year, Google's approach to the China market was criticized over its creation of a censored, local version of its search engine. Microsoft, Google, and two other technology companies will develop a code of conduct with a coalition of nongovernmental organizations (NGO) to promote freedom of expression and privacy rights, they announced Friday. The two companies along with Yahoo, and Vodafone Group said the new guidelines are the result of talks with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School."

Comments

Re:PR stunt

[massivefoot]

If this code of conduct is anywhere near sensible that practice would have to cease. This code of conduct will only have any real effect if the companies involved agree that human rights should take precedence over local law, which will most likely mean having to accept fines or closure of operations in some parts of the world. I somehow doubt that many will be prepared to do that.

I'd love this to be true, but...

[BillGatesLoveChild]

Yahoo in particular got in pretty thick with the Chinese Government, helping them find and jail those reporters and bloggers. Jerry Wang was completely unapologetic about it.

Here's several pages of waffle by Yahoo's Media Relations department: http://yhoo.client.shareholder.com/press/ReleaseDe tail.cfm?ReleaseID=187725
So far as I can tell, it says absolutely nothing.

The Hong Kong Journalists association is much more to the point: http://www.fcchk.org/media/FCCToYahoo2.htm

I find it a little hard to believe Yahoo is going to do an about face. Can you imagine Yahoo executives at their next liason with the Chinese Government telling them "Ok, Commies, the rules have just changed. From now on, we're going to insist things are done right around here!" It's a nice thought, but it just isn't going to happen. Walk away from money? Never! (Unless they think they've lost the market to locals anyway?)

If those companies came out together publicly and criticized the Chinese Government, we might see something. But short of that I'm guessing it's just to make us feel better. "Oh Google and Yahoo? That's old hat; They have an NGO Code of Conduct now."

the code...

[joe 155]

...shouldn't require them not to censor any content as some people have been suggesting. I actually like the way Google is dealing with China, as I understand it they don't give the full results but do tell you you're not getting the full results. So long as people know that there is more out there but you are not allowed to see the content it should at least;

1) make people aware that their government is doing this to them, maybe making people push for more openess
2) if the government ever does back down and open up it should make the transition a lot easier

People ultimately want to know what they are having withheld from them... Just not telling them and not letting them know you're censoring is the worst of all worlds, and that is what they would get from the state engines that would replace an open google