March 31, 2009
Carol Bartz
Chief Executive Officer
Yahoo! Inc.
701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Dear Ms. Bartz:
We write to express our concern regarding the worsening internet restrictions in Vietnam. According to news reports, the Government of Vietnam has issued decrees to curtail blogs and criminalize peaceful speech. Last year, the Vietnamese government published an edict requiring all internet service providers to hand over information on users who violate the prohibitions set out by the information ministry. We are especially concerned by reports that Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communication may be approaching major internet service providers to request their help in policing the internet.
It has come to our attention that Microsoft, Yahoo and Google have joined the Global Network Initiative, an international effort to protect freedom of expression and privacy in communications technology. As Members of Congress, we would like to commend you on this initiative. It truly signifies your efforts to respect internet freedom despite the pressure from authoritarian governments. We are pleased that you share our view that the protection of freedom of expression and privacy in communications technology is a corporate social responsibility.
The internet has become a major source of communication and information for Vietnamese citizens. The popularity of personal blogs is a testament to the Vietnamese people’s desire to freely share ideas. According to the Financial Times, “Vietnam’s limited political space is getting smaller. The government has cracked down on the country’s vibrant cyber community, closing websites and imprisoning those who use the internet to challenge the Communist party.”
As Members of Congress, we strongly urge you to advocate for the freedoms of speech and expression for the citizens of Vietnam by continuing to provide your technologies to the people of Vietnam in a manner that respects their rights and privacy.
Respectfully,
Loretta Sanchez
Joseph “Anh” Cao
James Moran
Daniel Lungren
Edward Royce
Michael Honda
Maurice Hinchey
Madeleine Bordallo
Thaddeus McCotter
Hank Johnson
Neil Abercrombie
Niki Tsongas