5 February 2004
Is Microsoft Aiding Internet Censorship in China?
3 February 2004
U.S. software giant Microsoft and other companies may be contributing to human rights violations in China by selling technologies that make it easier for authorities to crack down on Internet activities, says a new report by Amnesty International.
The report says technologies sold to China by Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks, Sun Microsystems and Websense are indirectly fueling a dramatic rise in the number of people detained or sentenced in the country for Internet-related offences. Since November 2002, there has been a 60 per cent increase, with 54 cases recorded as of 7 January 2004, Amnesty says.
Microsoft says it cannot control how its technology may ultimately be used. Cisco Systems claims it is "politically neutral" and "if the government of China wants to monitor the Internet, that's their business."
However, their practices violate the UN-adopted Human Rights Norms for Business, Amnesty argues. While not legally binding on countries, the UN standard says "transnational companies and other business enterprises shall refrain from any activity which supports, solicits or encourages States or any other entities to abuse human rights." It also requires that they "seek to ensure that the goods and services they provide will not be used to abuse human rights."
With Internet usage growing rapidly in China, authorities have been making moves to increase surveillance of Internet cafés and Internet Service Providers in a bid to quash any expressions of political dissent, says Amnesty. According to government statistics, there are 79.5 million users in China, up from 59 million in December 2002.
Read the full report here:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170012004?open&of=ENG-315