杏吧原创

SHAREHOLDER clout is being harnessed to pressure companies into respecting the human rights of internet users who live under repressive regimes.

The effort follows allegations that a number of companies are not doing enough to prevent their technology being used to abuse human rights. In response, 25 ethical investment firms from the US, Canada, Europe and Australia signed a statement on 7 November affirming their commitment to freedom of expression on the internet. 鈥淎s investors and research analysts, we recognise that our investment decisions have an impact on human rights around the world,鈥� says the statement.

Together these 25 firms control investments worth $21 billion. In the statement, the firms vow to 鈥渕onitor the operations of internet businesses in repressive regimes to evaluate their impact on access to news and information鈥�.

The signatures were collected by the organisation Reporters San Fronti猫res based in Paris. Over the past year RSF has accused a US company of providing the Chinese government with information it used to imprison a journalist for 10 years. RSF also accused Microsoft of not allowing people using its Chinese language blogging tool to type the word 鈥渄emocracy鈥�. As New 杏吧原创 went to press Microsoft said it was unable to respond to the allegation.

Dawn Wolfe of the investment firm Boston Common Asset Management, one of the signatories to the statement, says firms risk a 鈥渢remendous threat鈥� to their reputations with such actions.