If a new US bill passes, online companies may no longer be able to cash in on internet censorship. The Global Online Freedom Act recently passed unanimously in a US House of Representatives subcommitee dealing with human rights and international operations. The bill, which aims to keep US companies from complying with other nations’ internet repression regulations, is a reaction to recent actions by internet giants Microsoft, Google and Yahoo.

In January, Microsoft admitted to removing Chinese journalist Zhao Jing’s blog from its MSN site, excusing its behaviour by citing its policy to comply with local laws. Zhao Jing was an outspoken critic against censorship by the Chinese government.

Google has also complied with Chinese censorship laws by creating google.cn, a censored version of its international search engine. Google.cn filters political material the government wishes to keep from the public.

Because of Yahoo!, Chinese journalist Shi Tao will spend 10 years in jail for sending “top secret” government information to foreign web sites. Chinese investigators were able to track down Shi because Yahoo! provided information that enabled them to link Shi’s e-mail address and the “top secret” message to his computer’s IP address.

The proposed bill would set in place rules banning these practices. It would outlaw American companies from keeping users’ e-mails that contain personally identifiable information on servers. It would also make turning over personal information to foreign governments illegal.

To crack down on censorship, the bill would require American companies to pass along a breakdown of how their searches have been restricted and list URLs that are not accessible. In addition, internet service providers may face a fine of up to $2 million per offense for blocking any US government sponsored site in foreign countries.

The Global Online Freedom Act is a welcome advancement in the fight against internet repression and could not come sooner as online censorship is rampant.

In recent news, Singapore has condemned the country’s most popular blogger, Lee Kin Mun, for an article he wrote that was critical of the government. In a statement, the press secretary for Singapore’s Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts stated, “It is not the role of journalists or newspapers in Singapore to champion issues, or campaign for or against the Government.”

The US Congress must pass this bill to protect journalists, bloggers and the free flow of information and freedom across the globe.