We recently reported that a Google executive has gone missing in Egypt and now Vodafone are the latest tech company to feel the effects of the civil unrest but Vodafone's problems are for much different reasons.
Vodafone have made a dangerous political move which could land in them in hot water. Though it is suggested they were under political pressure, Vodafone has admitted sending out pro-Mubarak text messages to users of its mobile service in Egypt.
This however is nothing new. Big tech companies have been ignoring human rights in favour of profits and global growth for years. Nokia Siemens, has provided equipment that was used to monitor opposition in Iran for example, and Cisco, provided routers that have been used to build China’s Great Firewall (keeping citizens away from any websites outside of Chinese control.)
Not only should Vodafone not be supporting a cortupt dictator but they should not be taking sides at all and using their services to influence people in matters which have nothing to do with them. It's a dangerous thing to let governments take charge of tech companies and with Vodafone Egypt being 44.7% government owned it's no wonder pro-Mubarak texts were sent out.
But should they get away with it?
What do you think? Leave your comments below.
Source: Guardian