Google Shareholders Press Anti-Censorship Proposal
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Written By Kate Zimmermann | April 6, 2007 | Share This
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Google’s controversial self-censorship of Chinese web results has been brought up again in anticipation of Google’s annual stockholder meeting. The Office of the Comptroller of New York City, owner of 486,617 shares of Google’s Class A stock, has issued a proposal calling for new policies on political censorship of the Internet. As WebProNews writes,
“Their proposal would require Google’s management to help protect the freedom to access the Internet by individuals in countries ruled by authoritarian governments. The Funds have asked Google not to retain personally identifying information “in Internet restricting countries, where political speech can be treated as a crime by the legal system.”
Google would also have to use all legal means available to resist censorship demands. “Technology companies in the United States have failed to develop adequate standards by which they can conduct business with authoritarian governments while protecting human rights to freedom of speech and freedom of expression,” the proposal said.”
In an FCC filing, Google’s board of directors urged shareholders to vote against the proposal. As Search Engine Land points out, however, nothing is likely to happen. Sergei Brin, Larry Page, and Eric Schmidt each own enough Google Class B stock (of greater weight than Class A) to keep the proposal from being passed.
Topics: Google |