[bestbits] Facebook's secret censorship deal with the Pakistan government

[Shahzad Ahmad]

…And while this thread is discussing companies being more responsible
towards its users, here comes a very interesting piece and yet again from
Guardian and this time about Google :)

Google: don't expect privacy when sending to Gmail
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/aug/14/google-gmail-users-privacy
-email-lawsuit

Chaotic!

Best wishes and regards
Shahzad


From:  Shawna Finnegan <shawna at apc.org>
Date:  Thursday, August 15, 2013 4:25 AM
To:  <bestbits at lists.bestbits.net>
Subject:  Re: [bestbits] Facebook's secret censorship deal with the Pakistan
government

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Hi Shahzad and all,

I apologize for my late reply. Thank you for sharing this article.

Simon makes some very good points. In particular, the way internet
intermediaries respond to government requests that clearly violate the
human rights of marginalized groups:

"Here’s a question to all companies operating online services: how are
you going to respond when a Russian police agency either demands
personal information on gay activists, or presents a takedown request of
pages that promote gay issues? [..] In this case ­ and in the face of
any reasonable ethical scrutiny ­ the “lawful authority” model would
entirely collapse. If companies agree to such requests from Russia
they would violate the core principles of human rights. If they don’t
comply, it becomes clear their model is based on a frame of reference
beyond the stated respect for local law and culture that companies
promote so vigorously."

At the end of the article Simon suggests that companies sign on to the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

What do others think of this idea?

Perhaps not a great business strategy, but it would be an important
indication of which companies are serious in their commitment to
respect and protect human rights. Of course, depending on how those
rights are interpreted, that could put companies at odds with
governments in many countries, including the US.

Shawna


On 13-08-07 12:05 AM, Shahzad Ahmad wrote:
>  Folks,
>  
>  While we are still compiling some more information to be shared
>  with GNI and Facebook, Simon Davies (Privacy Surgeon) shared this
>  piece with us.
>  
>  He writes "It¹s time for companies to become champions of rights
>  instead of government stooges".
>  
>  http://www.privacysurgeon.org/blog/incision/its-time-for-companies-to-become
> 
>  
- -champions-of-rights-instead-of-government-stooges/
>  
>  Thought it will be of interest to you.
>  
>  Best wishes and regards Shahzad
>  
>  
>  From:  David Sullivan <dsullivan at globalnetworkinitiative.org> Date:
>  Wednesday, July 31, 2013 2:27 AM To:
>  <bestbits at lists.bestbits.net> Subject:  Re: [bestbits] Facebook's
>  secret censorship deal with the Pakistan government
>  
>  Hi all,
>  
>  Just want to make sure that the Best Bits Network receives GNI's
>  response to the Bytes for All open letter, which we've posted on
>  our website and is available here:
>  http://globalnetworkinitiative.org/news/gni-responds-bytes-all-pakistan
> 
>   All the best, David
>  
>  
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