Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO
Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

RE: Don’t put profits ahead of human rights!

Dear Mr. Schmidt,

I am very disturbed that in the pursuit of new and lucrative markets, your company is contributing to abuses of freedom of expression and information. This issue is especially evident in China, where Google has agreed to restrict search results for topics including “human rights”, “political reform”, “Tiananmen Square” and “Falun Gong”, among others, thus denying users of google.cn the ability to access the full range of information available internationally on human rights topics.

Though I acknowledge the policies recently adopted by Google purportedly to address some of these issues, the company still restricts search results in its local search engine and I remain deeply distressed by this evident willingness to support censorship. The fact that the company acts in compliance with restrictive domestic law does not exempt it from its international human rights responsibilities if complying with such request contributes to human rights violations.

Internet companies have an invaluable role to play in the realization of freedom of expression and information, and it shocks me that Google would compromise this goal in pursuit of profit. I urge Google to conduct its internet business in China, and everywhere it operates, in a manner that respects human rights, abides by international human rights standards and avoids complicity in human rights violations. I also urge Google to revise its policy to ensure the company does not unconditionally assist censorship of the internet but, on the contrary, challenges requests that are a violation of international human rights standards.

I further urge that you pressure the Chinese government to remove blockages on websites that deal with democracy, human rights, freedom, or that peacefully articulate opinions on religion or politics; stop the filtering of key words on the Chinese internet, including words such as democracy, human rights, freedom and Falun Gong; and ensure the Chinese public has uninhibited access to the full range of information available on the web in line with international standards on freedom of expression and freedom of information.

To live up to its image as a company that supports innovation, justice and diversity, Google needs to develop an explicit human rights policy, ensuring that it complies with the UN Norms for Business. I will join millions of concerned Americans and internet users in closely following your actions in these vital matters.