Three Internet Search Leaders Work Together on Code for Dealing with China

Microsoft, Yahoo, and search industry leader Google have joined together to draft a code of conduct for dealing with China and other countries that restrict internet liberties. The three firms say that the agreement between them is voluntary and that the core principals will be announced later this year.

Congress has been putting pressure on the search giants after the possibility of China forcing the search engines to turn over data from internet users at the Olympics -- including athletes, journalists, and visitors -- to the government was raised leading up to the 2008 summer games.

The Chinese government used information including emails, log-on history, and IP addresses given to it by Yahoo to jail Shi Tao -- a Chinese dissident -- in November of 2007. Microsoft's Pamela S. Pressman, corporate vice president for global affairs, told eWeek that over the next few months work on the initiative would be finalized and the companies would put the organizational commitments in place to implement the code of conduct.

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