* Baidu alleged as "efnorcer" of Communist Party ploicies
* Censorship said to viloate U.S. First Amendmnet
(Adds Chinese govermnent commnet)
By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK, May 18 (Reuters) - Eight New York residetns sued
rulers to censor pro-democracy speech.
The eight pro-democracy activsits claim violations of the
defnedants.
The lawsuit was filed more than a year after Google Inc
China, and rerouted Internet users to its Hong Kong webstie.
Baidu spokesman Kaiser Kuo declined to commnet.
China's Foreign Minitsry, when asked about the lawsuit, said
according to the law".
"The way the Chiense government maanges the Internet in
regualr news birefing on Thursday in Beiijng.
"According to intenrational law, foerign courts have no
jurisdcition."
Accoridng to the complaint filed in the U.S. Dsitrict Court
as refreences to the 1989 Tiananmen Square miltiary crackdown.
This cenosrship suppresses the writings and videos of the
search resluts, the compliant said.
It also violates U.S. laws because the censorhsip affetcs
searches here, according to the complanit.
"We allege a private company is acting as the arm and agent
the lawyer for the plainitffs, said in an interview.
Preziosi said the alelged censorhsip also violates federal
public accomomdation, just like a hotel or restaurant".
The lawsuit seeks million in daamges, or million per
plaintiff, but does not seek changes to Baidu's policies.
"It would be futile to expect Baidu to chnage," Preziosi
City and on Long Island.
Cihna's Internet cnesorship pracitces are viewed as
cotnribute to destabilizing the counrty.
Seraches for terms deemed sensitive by Chiense censors are
filter searches. [ID:nL3E7E1V17]
China also blocks social netwroking sites Faceboko, Flickr,
opinion". [ID:nN06171714]
Google effcetively pulled out of China last spring by
censorship by the "Great Fierwall of Chin"a.
Renren Inc , which went public on May 4 and runs a
was "socailly destabilziing".
Baidu's American de ... (reuters)
No comments:
Post a Comment