When Codes of Conduct Collide
Posted on August 5, 2008
Filed Under Apparatchiks, Beijing Olympics, China Business, China Internet, GFW |
Reuters, via Yahoo News, reports:
U.S. technology giants Microsoft Corp, Google Inc and Yahoo Inc, in talks with other Internet companies and human-rights groups, have reached an agreement on a voluntary code of conduct for activities in China and other restrictive countries, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
In separate letters sent to Democratic Senator Richard Durbin, and Republican Senator Tom Coburn, the companies said the code’s details were being worked out, the paper reported.
Senators Durbin and Coburn had asked for an update out of concern that without such a code, Internet companies could be pressured by China’s government to provide information about Internet users who are in China for the Olympics, the paper said.
Google, Yahoo and Microsoft did not immediately return calls seeking comment. The voluntary code will spell out “principles of freedom of expression and privacy” in countries where governments seek users’ private information or block access to certain websites, the paper said, citing the letters.
The code will be completed later this year, the paper reported.
Hmmm, China has a slightly different expectation for a code of conduct.
The Internet Society of China, a quasi-governmental organization, came up with a code that has a different emphasis. China Tech News:
The websites propose that Internet service providers work to provide first class service, run services in a civilized manner, strengthen self-discipline, accept the public’s supervision and resist “bad habits”.
Hu Qiheng, chairman of Internet Society of China, says that it is very necessary for the Internet companies to carry out the activity before the Olympic Games. Hu says that Internet professionals should enhance their awareness of corporate social responsibility and self-management, run their services well, cleanse the Internet environment and set up a new online ethos by purifying each of their web pages.
The ISC’s Internet News Service Work Commission has decided to set up an online ethics propaganda and educatioaln system echoed by hundreds of websites across the country and expose immoral behavior like spreading of pornography, online fraud, computer virus sending and spam mail sending.
The ISC isn’t a regulatory body, so their code doesn’t have the force of law. However, a .cn address requires an Internet Content Provider license from the government. I’m not sure what that entails, but I’m pretty confident that freedom of expression and privacy, as it’s understood in the US, isn’t part of the criteria.
Both efforts do share one thing in common: the Beijing Olympics! One world, two dreams! Er, wait a minute…
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