Sourceforge just became the latest US-based entity to join the technology “censorship” drive against Syrians (as well as 5 other sanctioned countries). Despite being one of the leading communities of the “open source” and “free software” movements, Sourceforge is betraying its own values.
Sourceforge is only the latest Internet technology company to join Washington’s call to target Syrian citizens with sanctions. Claiming to be abiding by US law, a long list on US based businesses have already denied their services to Syria’s increasingly Internet savvy youth. Microsoft refuses to provide technical courses and certificates to Syrian nationals, whether they live in Syria or anywhere else in the world. Google blocked the ability of anyone living in Syria to download their software tools. Cisco blocked sales of its infrastructure networking devices to Syria, RIM (Blackberry) has prevented its services from reaching Syria. Godaddy (and similar Internet hosting services) took down websites hosted on their servers by Syrians, regardless of content. US companies in the Gulf have reversed their decision to hire Syrian engineers, after their US lawyers warned them that they might be vulnerable to law suits by the US Treasury Department.
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