Stockholders Challenge Tech Companies on Censorship

Since entering the Chinese market, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google have at times faced intense criticism in the United States for filtering out search results and other internet-related information deemed sensitive by authorities.

Now, New York City pensioners, who collectively own over US$1 billion in shares in the three companies, are asking their boards to challenge censorship rules in countries with authoritarian governments, including China. Comptroller William C Thompson, Jr has asked the internet service providers to honour Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees freedom to receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.