Sec. 2. Findings
302 words·~1 min read·
/bill/113/hr/491/ih/section-2A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress makes the following findings: The political and economic benefits of the Internet are important to advancing democracy and freedom throughout the world, but the potential benefits of this transformative technology are under attack by authoritarian governments. A number of repressive foreign governments block, restrict, otherwise control, and monitor the Internet, effectively transforming the Internet into a tool of censorship and surveillance. A number of United States businesses have enabled repressive regimes to compromise the security of Internet users engaged in peaceful discussion of political, social, and religious issues and severely limit their access to information and communication channels by selling these governments or their agents technology or training.
A number of United States businesses have provided repressive governments with information about Internet users who were the company’s clients or were using the companies’ products, that has led to the arrest and imprisonment of the Internet users. The actions of a number of United States businesses in cooperating with the efforts of repressive governments to transform the Internet into a tool of censorship and surveillance have caused Internet users in the United States and in foreign countries to lose confidence in the integrity of United States businesses.
Information and communication technology companies are to be commended for cooperating with civil society organizations, academics, and investors in founding the Global Network Initiative, in order to provide direction and guidance to the information and communication technology companies and others in protecting the free expression and privacy of Internet users. Human rights due diligence by companies makes a difference. The United States Government has a responsibility to protect freedom of expression on the Internet, to prevent United States businesses from directly and materially cooperating in human rights abuses perpetrated by repressive foreign governments, and to restore public confidence in the integrity of United States business.