[governance] Tech giants in human rights deal

[Jeffrey A. Williams]

Meryem and all,

  This is an excellent initiative in principal.  There is unfortunately
a creditability problem security wise, see:
http://member.dnsstuff.com/tools/dnslite.php?r=homepage&domain=globalnetworkinitiative.org

and
http://private.dnsstuff.com/tools/dnsreport.ch?domain=globalnetworkinitiative.org&token=13302b445dcbbab11184238e2b769019

Their DNS is a significant mess and exposes anyone recieving communications
from them, to spyware, adware, and malware.  very inappropriate and
specifically dangerous.
and
http://private.dnsstuff.com/tools/ip4r.ch?ip=globalnetworkinitiative.org&token=13d07d714d71b65817546d892d003019

They are a miscreant and recitative spammer.  Most unfortunate.

Perhaps in the future, they can get these problems cleaned up so
as to further their cause which I and our members share, more
fully.  I for one, look forward to that day...

Meryem Marzouki wrote:

> See also more information on Global Network initiative at: http://
> www.globalnetworkinitiative.org, and dissenting voice from RSF
> (explaining why they haven't signed the deal) at: http://www.rsf.org/
> article.php3?id_article=29117
>
> Meryem Marzouki
>
> --
> Meryem Marzouki - http://www.iris.sgdg.org
> IRIS - Imaginons un réseau Internet solidaire
> 40 rue de la Justice - 75020 Paris
> Tel. +33(0)144749239
>
> Le 29 oct. 08 à 05:35, kwasi boakye-akyeampong a écrit :
>
> > My apologies for cross posting.
> >
> > Kwasi
> >
> > Tech giants in human rights deal
> >
> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7696356.stm
> >
> > By Maggie Shiels
> > Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley
> >
> >
> > Google was accused of censoring 2% of search results in China
> > Microsoft, Google and Yahoo have signed a global code of conduct
> > promising to offer better protection for online free speech and
> > against official intrusion.
> >
> > The Global Network Initiative follows criticism that companies were
> > assisting governments in countries like China to censor the Internet.
> > The guidelines seek to limit what data should be shared with
> > authorities, in cases where free speech is an issue.
> > "This is an important first step," said Mike Posner of Human Rights
> > First.
> > He told the BBC "What this is is a recognition by all these tech
> > companies, the human rights groups and social investors that there
> > has to be a collective response to this growing problem.
> > "Companies need to step up to the plate and be more aggressive in
> > challenging unwarranted government interference," he said.
> > The initiative states that privacy is "a human right and guarantor
> > of human dignity," and the agreement commits the companies to try
> > to resist overly broad demands for restrictions on freedom of
> > speech and the privacy of users.
> > They will also assess the human rights climate in a country before
> > concluding business deals and make sure their employees and
> > partners follow suit.
> > "These principles are not going to be a silver bullet, but the most
> > important point for me is to provide transparency," said Danny
> > O'Brien of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
> > "We have joined this initiative because we know that a wide range
> > of groups working together can achieve much more than the company
> > acting alone," said Andrew McLaughlin, Google's director of global
> > public policy.
> > 'Valuable roadmap'
> > The impetus for such an agreement follows years of criticism that a
> > number of businesses, including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft have
> > complicity built what has been dubbed the "Great Firewall of China".
> >
> > Skype say they are abiding by Chinese laws over internet use
> > Google has been accused of complying with Chinese government
> > demands to filter internet searches to eliminate query results
> > regarding topics such as democracy or Tiananmen Square.
> > Microsoft has come under attack for blocking the blog of a
> > prominent Chinese Media researcher who posted articles critical of
> > a management purge at the Beijing News Daily.
> > Canadian researchers uncovered that a Skype joint venture in China
> > monitored users' communications.
> > And a Chinese reporter Shi Tao was jailed for 10 years after Yahoo
> > China provided his personal information to the Chinese government.
> > Today Yahoo co-founder and CEO Jerry Yang welcomed the new code of
> > conduct.
> > "These principles provide a valuable roadmap for companies like
> > Yahoo operating in markets where freedom of expression and privacy
> > are unfairly restricted.
> >
> > Shi Tao's jailing sparked a controversy of Yahoo business practices
> > in China
> > "Yahoo was founded on the belief that promoting access to
> > information can enrich people's lives and the principles we
> > unveiled today reflect our determination that our actions match our
> > values around the world," said Mr Yang.
> > While China has been painted as the worst abuser, Colin Maclay of
> > the Berkman Centre for Internet and Society at Harvard University
> > said there are other countries and governments all over the world
> > at fault.
> > "The number of states actively seeking to censor online content and
> > access personal information is growing.
> > "And the means employed - technical, social, legal, political - are
> > increasingly sophisticated, often placing internet and
> > telecommunications companies in difficult positions."
> > 'Business case'
> > The Global Network Initiative was drawn up by the internet
> > companies along with human rights groups, academics and investors.
> > Adam Kanzer who is the managing director and general counsel at
> > Domini Social Investments said as well as being the right thing to
> > do, it also makes good business sense.
> > He told BBC News "When you see the industry being caught up in the
> > tactics of various regimes around the world, the business case is
> > very clear. Freedom of expression and privacy is core to their
> > business.
> > "They depend on a wide open, freely accessible and secure internet.
> > That's what they are about. If people don't trust the internet and
> > believe they are secure, then that is counterproductive to their
> > business."
> >
> > The plan has yet to receive the support of internet companies in China
> > The effort is already being seen by some as not going far enough.
> > "After two years of effort, they have ended up with so little,"
> > said Morton Sklar executive director for the World Organisation for
> > Human Rights USA.
> > "It is very little more than a broad statement of support for a
> > general principle without any concrete backup mechanism to ensure
> > that the guidelines will be followed."
> > Mr Posner of Human Rights First disputes that and said this
> > agreement has not been set up as a "gotcha system" but as a way "to
> > work with companies to get them to improve what they are doing,
> > credit them when they do it and call them out if they fail."
> > While it is hoped many more companies will sign up, two European
> > telecommunications firms, France Telecom and Vodafone, are already
> > said to be considering adding their names.
> >
> >
> >
> > ......................................................................
> > ........................................................
> > “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for
> > others, what am I?    And if not now, when?” - Rabbi Hillel
> > ......................................................................
> > ........................................................
> >
> >
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Regards,

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