Now we'll see if money really talks ... freely, that is

Reporters Without Borders has spearheaded an effort by institutional investors and others to call U.S. Internet companies into account when it comes to free speech rights. From the AP:

Tech firms asked to pledge to free speech
Associated Press

NEW YORK - A group of investors and researchers is pledging to watch the action of technology companies doing business in countries with less than stellar human rights reputations, and is asking the company to proclaim their commitment to freedom of expression.

The 25 participants representing about $21 billion in assets are all signatories to a "joint investor statement on freedom of expression and the Internet," an initiative spearheaded by the media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders.

The statement comes in the wake of several instances where technology companies have been criticized for cooperating with governments, notably China, in order to get stronger market positions.

Twenty-one billion dollars is a lot of money, but I think the fact that some monied people have taken a stand is good enough in itself. I hope it could serve as a rallying cry to get the tech industry to live up to its creedo: Information wants to be free.