The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research
Volume 10 Article 4
2009
Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Suppressing Free Speech Online
Brittany Alexander St. John Fisher College, [email protected]
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Recommended Citation Alexander, Brittany. "Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Suppressing Free Speech Online." The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research 10 (2009): 10-16. Web. [date of access].
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Abstract In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper.
Foreign governments censor the online activity of their citizens. Iran and China are the top two countries who have been known to censor, filter, and block content that contains any sexual, women's rights, and anti-governmental blogs or content. The American Search Engines Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo are helping these governments censor their people, thus limiting free speech and expression. Nothing can be done to stop foreign governments from suppressing their own people, but something can and should be done to prevent American Search engines from aiding these countries.
This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/ vol10/iss1/4 Alexander: Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Suppressing Free Speech Online
Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Suppressing Free Speech Online Brittany Alexander
Foreign governments censor the online Voices Being Silenced in Every Hemisphere activity of their citizens. Iran and China are the American Internet companies, such as top two countries who have been known to Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo, should cease censor, filter, and block content that contains aiding foreign governments in the censorship of any sexual, women's rights, and anti- internet websites, and they should do so as soon governmental blogs or content. The American as possible. Since the internet has become more Search Engines Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo user friendly and widely available, people all are helping these governments censor their over the world are able to access the World people, thus limiting free speech and expression. Wide Web. Sometimes the internet is the only Nothing can be done to stop foreign source of valuable information that is readily governments from suppressing their own people, available. In over 13 different countries but something can and should be done to prevent including two of the biggest online censoring American Search engines from aiding these perpetrators, China and Iran, the number of countries. journalistic stories on the internet far surpasses the number of printed stories (Wu 541). This Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Suppressing demonstrates how censoring and blocking Free Speech Online internet web sites, including news sites, would The forefathers of America realized the leave many people in the dark; an uniformed, importance of freedom of speech enough to give unaware, and suppressed public results. it a dignified place in the First Amendment of Enjoying the freedoms of nearly the U.S. Constitution. Yet it is a basic right we, unlimited information access, Americans can as Americans, often take for granted. The type any word in a search engine and uncover citizens of Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Egypt, thousands of informative web pages pertaining Cuba, and Belarus are censored by their to that user's topic of choice. Whether it is restrictive governments, especially via different political views, women's activism, gay cyberspace (Carvajal 1). The two most web and lesbian blogging, or just information on restrictive governments with the greatest number sexually transmitted diseases, online information of online filters, blocks, and people thrown in is literally at our finger tips. However, China's jail for free speech online are that of China and internet filters and censors block all sites Iran. Both countries have been known to throw containing Chinese government opposition, gay those who blog against the government into and lesbian information, and sexual content. The prison for lengthy sentences (Moaveni 2). In blocking of all sexual content websites does not particular, China has thrown its fair share of pertain to just porn sites. The Chinese outspoken anti-government, homosexual, and government literally blocks all sites with the women's rights bloggers in jail after sentencing word "sex" residing in the text. Gay and lesbian them in underground trails (Great Fire Wall 1). bloggers have been thrown in jail for "the Surprisingly, the companies helping these perversion of the Chinese internet with liberal governments restrict the speech of their people and immoral ideas." Similarly, in Iran, gay and online are American companies: Google, lesbian individuals have been prosecuted for Microsoft, and Yahoo. America is based on creating blogs about their homosexuality (Tsui democracy; yet three of its largest and most 70). Targeting certain individuals for voicing influential internet search engine companies are their opinions through the internet suppresses helping to limit free speech around the globe and attacks these citizens' freedoms immensely. (U.S. Web Giants 1). In many of these countries, not everyone has computer or internet access at home. Therefore, internet cafes are exceedingly popular and widely used. Because of the large 10
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number of citizens that use internet cafes, the persecution of internet users" (Kluver 320-321). government places a series of restrictions, Christopher Cox, representative for the GIFA censors, and blocks for the cafe users. However, bill wrote, "Unfettered access to the Internet when internet cafes fail to operate by the strict would play an integral role of opening up web standards, the government will personally Chinese society" (Kluver 322-323). Overall, the step in. Through censors on the available government has clearly stated it wants to end computers and the wireless web inside these internet censorship and suppression of free cafes, a signal or alarm is sent to a database speech. The American government also believes whenever someone accesses or creates a web ending censorship, particularly in China, would site with restricted content. This database is benefit web-censored societies around the world. checked constantly and any suspicious activity is Thus these U.S. government beliefs can be reported immediately to Chinese government applied to other internet-censored countries as officials. Every city has on call officers to take well. Yet, despite this American policy, Google, care of such activities. In particular, "the Yahoo, and Microsoft continue to aid foreign Chinese government orders clean-ups of all governments in suppressing freedom of speech internet cafes that fail to adequately register their through website censoring. users or block websites" (Tsui 68). For example, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft limiting in 2002, authorities swooped into an internet free speech overseas does not fairly solidify this cafe in Beijing, resulting in a fire that killed 24 argument as much as knowing the individual civilians. More than 3,000 internet cafes were stories of online suppression inflicted by these shut down that year. American companies. Initiating American China and Iran are not the only countries Search Engine control of internet censorship in that deserve the spotlight. Cuban government China was called the Public Pledge on Self officials censor by restricting access to the Discipline for the China Internet Industry. Over internet itself. "Out of 11 million resident one hundred companies voluntarily drafted and Cubans, only 40,000 people are allowed internet signed this pledge, two of which included Yahoo access and e-mail accounts" (Hamilton 195). and Google (Tsui 80). In order to achieve self- That means less than 1% of the entire population discipline for the Chinese Internet, Yahoo and is allowed internet access. These excessive Google used filters, blocks, and censors to blocks on internet access in Cuba restrict the monitor online content and searches. Thus these potential amounts of communication that could U.S. Internet companies have emerged as take place. Also, the knowledge and enforcers for Chinese suppression. It must be organization that could be potentially gained also stressed that these issues are, of course, not online for schools, workplaces, and homes is involving China alone. As noted in the immense, yet the government still ignores the beginning, this censorship through the aid of potential of internet access for all citizens. American companies is happening across the globe; there are just more profound incidents in American Search Engine Companies China. Censoring Overseas Try searching for terms like Although no one can stop foreign "democracy" or "human rights" on the Chinese governments from censoring the internet, version of Microsoft's blog tool; a white something could be done about Google, background with the words "Unauthorized Microsoft, and Yahoo helping these Search" or just plain "Error" will be scrawled governments censor. Although, currently, they across the screen. Similarly, in Iran, searches for have done nothing to stop these companies, the "gay," "lesbian," or "transgender," will bring a U.S. government agrees with this argument. In page that explains the content searched is against 2003, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Islamic morals and is therefore restricted (pp. the Global Internet Freedom Act. This bill 21-22). In China, there is a fine imposed on established a governmental strategy to "combat those who create media outlets not first state sponsored internet jamming and authorized by the Chinese government. These 11
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media outlets range from anti-government government. Thus, for America to look down on websites to unauthorized radio shows. The fine these countries for censoring their people, is the equivalent of $17,000 U.S. The evidence according to their own standards, could be concerning American company internet construed as insulting. Representatives from Iran censoring is overwhelming. Since Google has and China said they believe it is their country's been introduced into China, 49 'cyber own choice to censor what they see fit whether it dissidents' and 32 journalists have been be on the internet, newspapers, or television. silenced. Of course these were the only cases These countries also could question how we, as that have actually been reported. Microsoft Americans, could suggest our western policies closed down the blog of a well-known Chinese are the correct policies, imposing our own blogger, Zhao Jing, in 2005. His only crime was standards of right and wrong on independent exercising his freedom of speech and press; nations. This has been an ongoing battle of something an American-based company should whose way of life is the best way of life since understand (Fry 138-139). the first time East met West centuries ago. The Similarly, at the Chinese government's Iranian government brought up an interesting request, Yahoo willingly supplied data to turn in point; perhaps because America has so many a cyber dissident named Shi Tao. This supplied online predators, pedophiles, and porn sites is evidence was used to sentence Shi Tao to prison due to the fact that the U.S. government is too for ten years for supposedly speaking out against lenient when it comes to the internet. Although the communist government. Thus, Yahoo was Iranian citizens turn up web pages that tell them responsible for the suppression of free speech the content being searched is against Islamic and the conviction of an innocent man by moral code, they have little to no online porn or American standards (Fry 135-136). Microsoft predators. Thus, it could be the American Corporation admitted to pulling an outspoken government who is in the wrong for not journalist's blog off its MSN Spaces blog protecting its citizens by censoring the internet hosting service recently. "The company cited its (Hamilton 205-207). policy of complying with global and local laws, Countries like Iran and China also argue that nonns, and industry practices," as reason for since they are independent, they do not need the their action against the blogger (Gonsalves 19). U.S. to tell them that censoring is unethical. If Even more frightening than American China and Iran want to use Google, Microsoft, companies helping to censor overseas is the and Yahoo to carry out the rules and regulations possibility of encountering this same censorship their governments have created, that is their on our own shores. There have been indications, prerogative. The classic stereotype about in recent years, that several western America is that it tries to get involved with governments may want similar censoring foreign country's problems in the name of facilities for their "increasingly hysterical wars Democracy. Through industrialization and of terrorism, drugs, and crime" (22-23). modernization, China, in particular, has emerged over the past few decades as a major economic Censoring: Their Prerogative power. American companies who have realized Foreign countries that censor their China's profit potential have also wanted to citizens online refute that they have every right invest in this growing economic giant since it to do so; in reality, they do. Just as Americans first began to industrialize. Thus, Google, take pride in the fact that we are an independent Microsoft, and Yahoo saw their opportunities to nation, so do the 193 internationally recognized get their feet in the door of China's increasing countries around the world. To be independent is wealth by offering to provide their services to to be free from significant influence, control, or Chinese citizens. The desire to expand their guidance by other nations in matters of opinion, markets for profit gain is the main reason these conduct, morals, priorities, etc. As suppressive companies decided to provide services in China. as they are, online blocks, filters, and censors are This year, there are 110 million internet in the control and jurisdiction of each specific users in China, which is a number that is 12
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growing each day. Google, Microsoft, and Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo are censoring just Yahoo are able to gain 110 million more to make money? It is true these companies are customers. The way these search engines make a helping foreign governments uphold their laws significant profit is through advertisements on and standards, but what about the people who their sites. Companies pay a lot of money to are affected, and even imprisoned, because of place an advertisement on a Google, Microsoft, American Search Engine censoring? Together, or Yahoo page, and then they pay even more the foreign governments, along with Google, when an internet user clicks on their Microsoft, and Yahoo are ignoring the thoughts, advertisement. With every click on an online feelings, and voices of the people who do not ad, these American search engines make a profit, wish to be censored. There may be fewer online which is why currently Google, Yahoo, and predators or homosexual rights' bloggers in Microsoft make billions of dollars each year. A countries like China and Iran, but this is not whole new horizon for potential profits emerges because internet censoring has changed the when these American search engine companies views and inclinations of their citizens. launch in a new country. This is because foreign Outspoken anti-government, gay, women's companies are now paying Google, Microsoft, rights activists, and even predators still exist; it's and Yahoo to advertise on their web pages as just that people are more scared to reveal well, bringing in even more profit for these three themselves and their thoughts online. Online search engines. Thus, it can be understood why censoring of what the government deems Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo would want to "questionable" may scare its citizens into offer their services to foreign countries. silence, limiting their freedom of speech even However, in providing their services more. for China, Iran, Cuba, and other countries, each We cannot stop foreign countries from American Search Engine agreed to abide by the limiting free speech online, but we can stop standards and regulations set by that specific American search engines from doing the same. government, even if that meant restricting free If it is the prerogative of foreign countries to speech. Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo argue censor online, they have every right to do so. that aiding these governments not only allows However, American Search engines do not need them access to larger overseas profits, but it also to be involved. Even worse is the fact that many develops a bond with the former closed-door internet censoring facilities for these countries countries (Stuart Hamilton 207-208). These are based in the U.S., particularly California. companies are getting rid of the potential The most popular Iranian search engines, Par creation or viewing of unsafe, unethical, or Seek, Iran Crawler, and the Iranian Google and unlawful content across seas. Representatives Yahoo, are all based in California (Colossus from the governments of these Google, Yahoo, Website). As representatives of the American or Microsoft censored countries say that values of democracy, freedom of expression, American Search Engines are doing them a freedom of press, and freedom of speech, these favor (Frohman 268-269). companies should not have been allowed to censor overseas in the first place. Google, Putting an End to Their Censorship Microsoft, and Yahoo are sending a subjective The American Search Engine companies message to the rest of the world: America as well as the governments they work for, condones online censoring and limitation of present their own arguments and opinions. Yet, online speech. to those born into a society where democracy If Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo and free speech are ubiquitous, extensive online continue overseas censorship, future problems censoring still seems suppressive and wrong no could arise. By ending these Search Engines' matter how good the other side states its involvement with overseas censoring, the argument. These American companies are message sent to these foreign countries would be developing economic bonds and profit by aiding that America does not believe in limiting free these countries, but could it be stated that expression and free speech online. Already, 13
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"Iranian authorities claim to be creating an Fixing the Problem at Hand alternative network, which will lure users by In order to end the suppression of useful offering large amounts of prospective storage, knowledge, free speech, and free expression after which they plan to dismantle the current online, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft should network" (Granick 11-12). This means that the not help in the censorship of foreign web sites government would have absolute control of the any longer. The U.S. government should internet, and Google would be right at their side. intervene immediately and ban these companies If America is condoning this type of absolute from continuing to suppress freedom of speech, censorship, who will stop this from happening in press, and opinion overseas. Google has already other countries? Perhaps there is a chance to gotten into some legal trouble. However, discourage this type of internet from developing nothing serious has been done to stop them. if the American Search Engines end their aid in Another possible solution would be to get rid of online censoring in Iran as soon as possible. the California and other U.S. based overseas If the establishment of a government run Search Engine censoring facilities. If these internet were to take place, this would cut off the governments want to limit freedom of speech outside world from Iran even more. Also, if Iran online, let them do it on their own soil. and other countries that follow Iran's censorship According to Kate Palmer, author of idea succeed in taking total control of their "Contrabandwith," hope of an end to online country's entire internet with aid from American censoring worldwide could come sooner than we Search Engines, these censoring software and think. These days, there is a black market for host sites could become even more widely nearly anything, and ingenious computer available. Ultimately, this would only succeed in software is no exception. The black market for creating a less democratic and more suppressed censored web site hacking programs is rising albeit world. each day, thanks to a few dedicated computer "Cracks in the Wall" brings to light the whizzes. Many more firewall-cracking-techno negative side of blocking all controversial geeks may create even greater numbers of (sexual) web sites in various countries. hacker programs in the years to come. Several "Valuable life saving web sites are often programs are created in the U.S. but can be blocked. We have such good information for purchased anywhere in the world. For a small people, who are going to be seeped in their own fee, buyers of the censor-wall cracking programs HIV/AIDS crisis very shortly without this can get around their country's web site blocks information" (Morais 94). As mentioned earlier, and filters easily (Palmer 1). Although the black China and Iran are notorious for blocking web market for anti-censoring software is growing, sites that contain any word with "sex" in the Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo should still name. If a Chinese citizen wants information on realize what they are doing overseas is unjust an STD, teen pregnancy, contraceptives, etc., it and suppressive. Their days of restricting is extremely difficult to search online. In this freedom of speech for a profit will hopefully be day and age, with STDs and AIDS affecting over sooner rather than later. large numbers of people all over the world, sex education should be accessible in every country. Works Cited It seems China and Iran's governments believe Gonsalves, Antone. "Microsoft Bars China they can have a more morally strict country if Journalist." InformationWeek (09 they simply pretend that sex and sexual diseases Jan. 2006): 19-19. don't take place. Just sweeping valuable MasterFILE Select. EBSCO. Lavery information like this under the rug only makes Library, Rochester, NY. 21 individuals ignorant to the world around them, February 2008. possibly endangering lives.
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Frohmann, Bernd. "Subjectivity and MasterFILE Select. information ethics." Journal of the EBSCO. Lavery Library, Rochester, American Society for NY. 21 February 2008. Infonnation Science &
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190-197. 13 Feb. 2008 13 Feb. 2008
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