Google in China: Corporate Responsibility on a Censored Internet

View Sample PDF

Author(s): Richard A. Spinello (Boston College, USA)
Copyright: 2012
Pages: 15
Source title: Investigating Cyber Law and Cyber Ethics: Issues, Impacts and Practices
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Alfreda Dudley (Towson University, USA), James Braman (Towson University, USA)and Giovanni Vincenti (Towson University, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-132-0.ch011

Keywords: Information Ethics / Information Science Reference / IT Security and Ethics / Security & Forensics

Purchase

View Google in China: Corporate Responsibility on a Censored Internet on the publisher's website for pricing and purchasing information.

Abstract

This chapter, focusing primarily on the search engine company Google, treats the normative issue of how U.S. or European companies should respond when asked to abet the efforts of countries like China or Iran in their efforts to censor the Web. Should there be international laws to prevent these technology companies from yielding to the demands of totalitarian regimes? We argue that such laws would be reactive and ineffectual and that the optimal solution is proactive corporate self-regulation that gives careful prominence to moral reasoning. Our moral analysis concludes that a socially responsible company must not cooperate with implementing the censorship regimes of these repressive sovereignties. This conclusion is based on natural law reasoning and on the moral salience that must be given to the ideal of universal human rights, including the natural right of free expression.

The IRMA Community

Research IRM

Google in China: Corporate Responsibility on a Censored Internet

Purchase

Abstract

Related Content

IRMA Sponsors