(Washington, DC) -- In an effort to outflank government censorship in Cuba, Iran and Sudan, the Obama administration announced Monday it would ease sanctions to allow exports of chat and social media software. The State Department requested waivers for the sanctions, calling the request in the national interest of citizens in the three countries. The Treasury Department will grant licenses to Google, Microsoft and other companies to export software. The products will allow Iranians, Sudanese and Cubans to send and receive e-mail, browse the Internet, participate in chat rooms and instant messaging and share photos and movies. Still, governments can easily censor, ban or restrict Internet access at will, as it is allegedly being done in China.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has supported Internet freedom in all countries, said in a news conference that Iran should act like the democracy it calls itself and respect the free association and assembly of its people. Clinton said, quote, "So we're going to continue to support those Iranians who wish to circumvent and be able to communicate without being blocked by their own government."
