OpenCongress - H.R.275 Global Online Freedom Act of 2007

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by marknoble |

Jan 17, 2008(7 months ago) |

Overall Rating: 5.0 |

This bill expresses the noble goal of increasing global Internet freedom through increasing federal bureaucracy, oversight, and reporting for US businesses. The penalties suggested are large enough to be burdensome for the smallest of Internet providers, while small enough that most large corporations could readily ignore them. Individuals in the US have a vast array of free software available to help people in restrictive nations bypass such controls, as such this bill would do nothing more effectively than concerned individuals are already able to do.

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by susanpcrawford |

Jan 17, 2008(7 months ago) |

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Overall Rating: 5.0 |

| 1 of 1 found useful.

There is a lot to like in this bill *except* its punishment of US businesses. The "sense of Congress" that free expression online is a high priority - that would be very useful in a number of fora. The encouragement of negotiations/relationships that further this openness is positive too (although likely impossible to enforce). Country reports on Internet openness would be useful. We get this from OpenNet.net, but more standardized information would be helpful.

But the limitations on businesses are silly. SEC. 203. TRANSPARENCY REGARDING SEARCH ENGINE FILTERING.

Any United States business that creates, provides, or hosts an Internet search engine shall provide the Office of Global Internet Freedom, in a format and with a frequency to be specified by the Office, with all terms and parameters used to filter, limit, or otherwise affect the results provided by the search engine that are implemented--

(1) at the request of, or by reason of any other direct or indirect communication by, any foreign official of an Internet-restricting country; or

(2) to comply with a policy or practice of restrictions on Internet freedom in an Internet-restricting country.

That's a tech mandate if there ever was one. And, for goodness sake, companies limit searches all the time for all kinds of reasons.

So although I'd like to see encouragement of the free flow of information around the world, and there are some helpful things in this bill, it also seems quite unworkable - and unnecessarily punitive.

by sarahbrand |

Apr 28, 2008(4 months ago) |

Reply |

Overall Rating: 5.0 |

"companies limit searches all the time for all kinds of reasons"

The very portion of the bill you quoted specifically says that businesses only have to report filters that are implemented to comply with government restrictions on Internet freedoms. Reporting those filters should not be terribly difficult.

by bluethunder |

Apr 28, 2008(4 months ago) |

Reply |

Overall Rating: 5.0 |

I wrote a diary urging people to support the bill:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/28/185058/103/328/505131

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Global Online Freedom Act of 2007

To promote freedom of expression on the Internet, to protect United States businesses from coercion to participate in repression by authoritarian foreign governments, and for other purposes.

OpenCongress Summary:
This bill would make it a crime for U.S. companies to disclose personal information to internet-restricting countries that are determined by the President to be responsible for a systematic pattern of substantial restrictions on Internet freedom. An exception would be made for legitimate foreign law enforcement purposes. It also calls for the creation of a new Office of Global Internet Freedom that would be responsible for developing programs to combat state-sponsored and state-directed Internet jamming by repressive governments, among other things.

Other Bill Titles (3 more)

12/10/2007--Reported to House amended, Part I. Global Online Freedom Act of 2007 -
(Sec. 3) Defines, for this Act, "United States business" to mean:
(1) a company with its principal place of business in the United States or that is organized under the U.... morehide bill summarySee Full Bill Text

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
January 05, 2007

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All Bill Actions

Added to calendar on Feb 22, 2008: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 320..
Feb 22, 2008: Committee on Judiciary discharged.
Feb 22, 2008: Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
Feb 08, 2008: House Committee on Judiciary Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Feb. 22, 2008.
Feb 01, 2008: House Committee on Judiciary Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Feb. 8, 2008.
Feb 01, 2008: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Feb. 22, 2008.
Jan 16, 2008: Referred sequentially to the House Committee on the Judiciary for a period ending not later than Feb. 1, 2008 for consideration of such provisions of the bill and amendment as fall within the jurisdiction of that committee pursuant to clause 1(k), rule X.
Jan 15, 2008: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Feb. 1, 2008.
Dec 10, 2007: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Jan. 16, 2008.
Dec 10, 2007: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Foreign Affairs. H. Rept. 110-481, Part I.
Added to calendar on Oct 23, 2007: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote..
Oct 23, 2007: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 30, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E702-703)
Feb 02, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Feb 02, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
Jan 05, 2007: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
Jan 05, 2007: Referred to House Foreign Affairs
Jan 05, 2007: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced on Jan 05, 2007.

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