Google, Yahoo, Microsoft ready to adopt human rights guidelines

[Jim]

Reports on Tuesday said Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. are set to adopt guidelines on what data they will share about their users with governments around the world.

Mountain View-based Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), Sunnyvale-based Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) have been stung by criticism in the past that they have provided information that has resulted in human rights abuses in countries including China.

The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and others said that the companies now plan to adopt Global Network Initiative guidelines the companies wrote with input from human rights organizations, investors and academics.

The new guidelines, however, reportedly will leave much open to interpretation, not banning any specific conduct.

The New York Times reported that two European telecommunications companies, France Telecom and Vodafone, may join the initiative.

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