CNET News reports that India bans a Yahoo group after Yahoo refused to take down the "anti-India" content of the "Ri Hynniewtrep" group after a government request, says CNET.
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Attempts by governments in China and Myanmar to censor communications on the Internet have led to legislative initiatives in the U.S., including the proposed creation of a Federal Office of Internet Freedom.
The Attorney General of Pennsylvania recently backed off of a program to order blockage of potentially illegal websites authorized by a state statute, according to another CNET story. This followed a federal law suit by the ACLU and the Center for Democracy and Technology, alleging violation of the First Amendment.
Two years ago, the government of France ordered that Yahoo block access by French citizens to its auction site featuring Nazi memorabilia. Yahoo later obtained a U.S. court declaration that enforcement of the French order in the United States would be unconstitutional. For links to the French order, the U.S. Judge's decision and further discussion and reading on the French Yahoo case, see Kanoho, "A Victory For Yahoo!—The United States Cannot Enforce French Censorship Of Auctions" (Internet Law Journal, 2/2/02)
Organizations concerned about government or private industry interference with their communications have also turned to the use of private networks using encryption to conceal the content of their speech. Such are generically called "Darknets."
Thanks to OnlineJournalism.com's newsletter for the heads up on this story.
Posted by dougsimpson at September 25, 2003 06:18 AM | TrackBack