EUROPE TAKES ON GLOBAL INTERNET CENSORSHIP

Repressive regimes that buy U.S. and European technology to control their citizens in cyberspace may soon find that market closed, says Freedom House. Last week, European and U.S. lawmakers announced a rare joint initiative to pass legislation aimed at preventing sensitive surveillance and Internet-blocking technology from being sold to authoritarian governments, such as China and Egypt. European Parliament Member Jules Maaten told the 70 people assembled at a Freedom House event in Washington, D.C. last week about his draft European Global Online Freedom Act. His legislation would regulate the export of European technology, such as ensuring that European companies do not locate their servers in repressive countries, and earmark 20 million Euros to support anti-censorship tools and services. It would also make it a crime for... [read full story]