Sudan among countries to benefit from ‘internet exports’ by U.S. companies
- Details
- Category: International
- Published on Monday, 08 March 2010 06:09
- Written by The New Sudan Vision (NSV), www.newsudanvision.com
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WASHINGTON (NSV) – The New York Times has reported that the Obama’s Treasury Department has authorized issuance of licenses to internet-based companies like Yahoo to provide such services as text messaging and photo sharing to populations in Sudan, Cuba and Iran as part of US committment to free flow of information to “closed societies”.
The three countries have trade sanctions imposed on them. Sudan is among the countries for which trade sanctions have prevented US companies from exporting to and this new policy will allow its citizens to benefit from these technology services after sanctions are lifted on “free mass-market software.”
Some countries have found it hard to trust their citizenry in the age of burgeoning internet and digital communication.
Last year Iran censored usage of social media tools like Twitter and Facebook during elections. Weeks ago , Google and China got into argument over internet restrictions.
The United States says it is counterprodcutive when closed societies restrict freedom of speech and information sharing among citizens, and it is working to change that.
The Treasury and State Departments are coordinating efforts in the hope that the new policy will fast track an era in which internet communication is not viewed as antithetical to governing.
