U.S. Should Lead By Example With Open Internet, Group Says
August 5, 2010
| 4:18 PM
The United States should look at its own policies before criticizing countries such as the United Arab Emirates for banning BlackBerry e-mail, Web and messaging services for security reasons, according to one digital rights advocacy group, Nextgov.com reported.
The United Arab Emirates is blocking BlackBerry services because local officials cannot monitor messages, which are encrypted and routed overseas, for illegal activity or abuse. Pakistan already has a similar ban in effect and other countries -- many in the Middle East -- have threatened to do the same.
The State Department recently said it would seek clarification on why the United Arab Emirates decided to block BlackBerry services. But Gwen Hinze, international director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, noted U.S. officials cannot expect other countries to support a free and open Internet when federal laws at home require a degree of regulatory control over citizens' digital information for security and law enforcement purposes.
"It is going to become increasingly difficult for the U.S. government to put pressure on other countries to protect their citizens' civil liberties, and the free and open Internet while the U.S. does not lead by example," Hinze said, echoing an Aug. 2 statement by United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba. To read more, click here.
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