US controls threaten Internet freedom

• Source: Global Times
• [21:57 August 23 2010]
• Comments

The US government has adopted macro-control and focus-funding to actively use IT giants to create the global Internet infrastructure which could be manipulated by the US.

The US actively promotes the participation of IT giants in Internet content control work.

In May 2009, Microsoft announced on its website that they would turn off the Windows Live Messenger service for Cuba, Syria, Iran, Sudan and North Korea, in accordance with US legislation.

In January 2010, Google, the company who owns the largest Internet information resources, declared that in order to establish a more open Internet environment, they had to abandon the Chinese market.

What is even more worrying is that Senator Joseph Lieberman, chairman of US Homeland Security Committee, recently presented to the US Senate a bill titled "Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset."

Under this proposal, whenever an emergency occurs in the US, the president could order Google, Yahoo and other search engine operators to suspend Internet services.

And other US-based Internet service provider could also be under the control of the president when "Internet security emergencies" occur.

If so, the US president would officially have the power to open or close the Internet.

Although there is no international law to regulate Internet sovereignty, the Internet is founded to benefit all mankind across the globe.

If the US, which invented and controls the Internet, cut off or shut down the Internet in the name of national security, it would certainly neglect and violate the interests and benefits of international netizens.

The author is a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council of China. forum@globaltimes.com.cn