The internet’s ‘corporate enemies’
Reporters Without Borders is out with its annual "Enemies of the Internet" report. The countries it highlights — Bahrain, China, Iran, Syria, Vietnam — are a familiar group. But this year, the group also highlighted five "private-sector companies that are “digital era mercenaries”" who "sell products that are liable to be used by governments to violate ...
Reporters Without Borders is out with its annual "Enemies of the Internet" report. The countries it highlights -- Bahrain, China, Iran, Syria, Vietnam -- are a familiar group. But this year, the group also highlighted five "private-sector companies that are “digital era mercenaries”" who "sell products that are liable to be used by governments to violate human rights and freedom of information".
Reporters Without Borders is out with its annual "Enemies of the Internet" report. The countries it highlights — Bahrain, China, Iran, Syria, Vietnam — are a familiar group. But this year, the group also highlighted five "private-sector companies that are “digital era mercenaries”" who "sell products that are liable to be used by governments to violate human rights and freedom of information".
The five "corporate enemies are:
- Amesys, a French firm accused of selling spyware to Muammar al-Qaddafi’s government
- Blue Coat, a U.S. online security firm that has sold filtering software to governments like Burma and Syria
- British/German Gamma International, which has been accused of providing surveillance equipment to Bahrain and Egypt
- Hacking Team, which is based in Italy and has reportedly provided anti-encryptian software to government including Morocco and the United Arab Emirates
- Trovicor, a Germany-based firm formerly known as Nokia Siemens Networks, which produces interception equipement and has been questioned by the European Parliament over its dealings with Iran, Syria, and Bahrain
Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating
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