Study Flags Internet Censorship As Open To Challenge At WTO

Censorship of content over the internet by national governments, ostensibly on moral or security grounds, could be subject to challenge at the World Trade Organization for hindering trade in services, according to a working paper [pdf] published by Brussels think-tank the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE). According to the report, “there is a good chance that a panel might rule that permanent blocks on search engines, and other services are inconsistent with [WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)] provisions, even given morals and security exceptions,” it said. The report added that censorship leads to a reduction in revenues “and [the loss] is often forced upon a business in one country by the government of another.” Selective filtering of content may be an option, the report said, though “less resourceful countries, without means of filtering more selectively might be able to defend such bans at the WTO.” However, it added that “the exceptions do not offer a blanket cover for arbitrary and disproportionate censorship.”