Internet giants agree to censorship principles

Internet giants Google, Microsoft and Yahoo will announce they have agreed on a set of principles on how to manage business in countries restricting free speech, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In a likely reaction to allegations the companies have assisted censorship in certain countries, the firms will promise via this set of principles to protect the personal information of their users whenever they do business.

The newspaper also reports the principles were created by a committee, including groups such as Human Rights First and Committee to Protect Journalists.

The paper also says the plan has not received support from internet companies in China, and from other countries whose censorship policies the principles attack.